Udhayanidhi Stalin Condemns Arrest of Tamil Rapper Arivu Over Anti-NEET Remarks

CHENNAI — On Tuesday, the Leader of the Opposition and former Deputy Chief Minister, Udhayanidhi Stalin, issued a statement condemning the arrest of Tamil rapper 'Therukkural' Arivu in Chennai. The rapper was arrested following remarks he made speaking out against the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) entrance examination.

Udhayanidhi took to the social media platform X to express his strong condemnation of the police action. In his post, the opposition leader alleged that the TVK government was attempting to silence voices that oppose the national medical entrance examination.

"The voices raised against NEET deserve to be heard, not silenced," Udhayanidhi said in his statement on Tuesday.

The former deputy Chief Minister added that the rapper's voice reflected the sentiments of not only the people of Tamil Nadu but also millions of people across the country who hold similar views.

Udhayanidhi also pointed out the timing of the arrest, alleging that the action against 'Therukkural' Arivu came at a time when protests against the NEET examination were gaining momentum nationwide.

According to the opposition leader, the arrest of the artist sends a troubling message to youngsters in Tamil Nadu. He stated that it could impact young people in the state who were considering joining demonstrations in solidarity with protesting students in Delhi.

Calling the NEET entrance examination a "scam" that is riddled with discrepancies, Udhayanidhi reiterated his demand to ban the examination. He concluded his statement by saying that those who are speaking out against the examination should not be silenced.