Madurai (TN), Feb 11 (PTI) AIADMK top leader K Palaniswami on Friday said his party accepted DMK President and Chief Minister M K Stalin's 'challenge' to debate on the NEET issue and asked if the ruling party head is ready for a debate on it.

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Addressing an AIADMK urban civic poll campaign here, Palaniswami said his party accepted Stalin's 'challenge' to debate the test issue at any public place and at any time.

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Palaniswami, AIADMK's Joint Coordinator and former Chief Minister said he and his party's Coordinator O Panneerselvam are ready for a debate on NEET.

"Are you ready?," Palaniswami asked and slammed Stalin for uttering 'lies' on the matter.

In 2010, when the Congress-led UPA regime held the reins of power at the Centre, in which the DMK was a constituent, the National Eligibility Cum Entrance Test was introduced, he said. "DMK-Congress combine introduced NEET. Can this be denied," he asked.

Stalin had on February 10 challenged the principal opposition AIADMK for a debate over NEET. The DMK chief, in a virtual address for local polls had said that the national test was first held in Tamil Nadu when the AIADMK was in power.

Urban civic polls are scheduled to be held on February 19 in Tamil Nadu for over 12,000 posts.

Following the suicides of aspirants of medical courses including that of a Dalit student, Anitha of Ariyalur district in 2017, opposition to NEET grew rapidly in Tamil Nadu and it became a sensitive issue.

Barring the BJP, other political parties in the state are opposed to the national test.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)