Evening Picture: Rahul Gandhi in porter avatar the talking point, draws flak from BJP; DMK targets Centre over NEET

पसीने की स्याही से जो लिखते हैं⁰अपने इरादों को,⁰उनके मुकद्दर के पन्ने कभी कोरे नहीं हुआ करते।#BharatJodoYatra pic.twitter.com/RGZHsM9NLT

— Pawan Khera 🇮🇳 (@Pawankhera) September 21, 2023

The BJP was quick to respond, saying it was obvious that Gandhi had not been to a railway station in the recent past. BJP IT in-charge Amit Malviya said, “Only someone as dumb as Rahul Gandhi would carry a suitcase on head when it has wheels … It is obvious he hasn’t been to a railway station off late … Several of them now have escalators or ramps for convenience of passengers and porters. All this is nothing but theatrics.”

Meanwhile, with the National Medical Commission (NMC) on Wednesday reducing the qualifying percentile of the NEET PG 2023 exam to zero across all categories — making all candidates who appeared for the exam eligible for participation in the counselling process — the DMK, which is already engaged in a protracted row with the Centre over the exam, hit out at the BJP,

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin took to X to say that the NEET had now become “meaningless”. He wrote on X. “It’s just about coaching centres and paying for the exam. No more qualification is required. NEET = 0. NEET has nothing to do with merit, which we have been saying all along. It has become a mere formality, devoid of any real eligibility criteria. The Union BJP Govt remained heartless despite so many precious lives were lost and has now come up with an order like this. The BJP Govt must be removed just for causing loss of lives with the guillotine called #NEET.”

The Union BJP Government has accepted that benefit of #NEET is #ZERO!

By reducing the NEET PG cut-off to ‘zero’, they are accepting that ‘eligibility’ in National ‘Eligibility’ Cum Entrance Test is meaningless. It’s just about coaching centres and paying for the exam. No more…

— M.K.Stalin (@mkstalin) September 21, 2023

Tamil Nadu industries minister Palanivel Thiaga Ragan, who has been vocal on the issue of federalism, said: “The last shred of disguise of the true reasons for NEET has now been destroyed. Admission only on Merit & elimination of capitation were never the intentions of Union Govt control, advantage to the privileged (who can afford coaching), and ‘authorized’ loot were the true goals.”

The last shred of disguise of the true reasons for NEET has now been destroyed. Admission only on Merit & elimination of capitation were never the intentions

Union Govt control, advantage to the privileged (who can afford coaching), and “authorized” loot were the true goals https://t.co/qVUXTT3ozQ

— Dr P Thiaga Rajan (PTR) (@ptrmadurai) September 21, 2023

Amidst the Parliament debates during the special session underway, Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Derek O Brien said: “Whether it was the debate on #Chandrayaan3 in Rajya Sabha today or the #WomenReservationBill debate in Lok Sabha, the BJP were visibly on the defensive.”

A day after it issued a strongly worded advisory to Indian nationals in Canada, warning against “anti-India activities” and “politically condoned hate crimes”, New Delhi Thursday stopped visa services in that country. The Akali Dal, which has so far not unequivocally condemned Canada, said in a statement it was concerned about the visa suspension.

In a strongly worded tweet, the office of Akali Dal president Sukhbir Singh Badal said, “Deeply concerned over indefinite suspension of #visa services for Canadian nationals to India as it affects lakhs of Punjabis residing as overseas nationals of Indian origin or as students in that country. This is set to create great hurdles, uncertainty and anxiety for Punjabis especially to members of the most patriotic community of the Sikhs who have not only made unparalleled sacrifices for the freedom of the country but also for fighting off foreign aggression in borders.”

It added, ”The visa facility hurdles will particularly hit our youth who go to Canada in thousands as students every year and who are now residing there. I have been flooded with calls and messages from Punjabis in Canada and their families and relatives back home, seeking @Akali_Dal_’s intervention to ensure safe & smooth travel to their homeland. Realising the gravity of the situation, Shiromani Akali Dal urges the two countries’ governments to find a solution to the matter at the earliest possible.”

Deeply concerned over indefinite suspension of #visa services for Canadian nationals to India as it affects lakhs of Punjabis residing as overseas nationals of Indian origin or as students in that country. This is set to create great hurdles, uncertainty and anxiety for Punjabis… pic.twitter.com/FjgKSGbqgb

— Sukhbir Singh Badal (@officeofssbadal) September 21, 2023