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Former BJP leader K Annamalai has strongly championed the NEET entrance exam despite years of resistance in Tamil Nadu. But now he seeks accountability. Repeated paper leaks pushed the students to the streets, he has said, as massive protests erupt across the country demanding Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation.In a long post on X, Annamalai has also questioned what kept the government waiting before it could engage in talks with the protesters and emphasised that protests are a fundamental right in a democracy.The former IPS officer was one of the BJP's most prominent faces in Tamil Nadu before he quit ahead of the state elections this year.'I Backed NEET'Annamalai elaborated why he backed NEET over the years. He said he believed the medical entrance exam would bring in uniformity across India and give students from underprivileged backgrounds a chance at becoming doctors."Over the past many years, I have taken a personal stand in support of the NEET examination, arguing that it brought uniformity in student selection across the country and gave students from underprivileged backgrounds a real shot at pursuing their dream of medical education," he said.'Repeated Leaks, No Accountability'The politician pointed out that the NEET UG question paper has leaked thrice in the last five years, but there was no accountability. This, he said, brought about a shift in students' mindset and they took to the streets to express their anger."Imagine the amount of pressure that it puts on students, who had to go through the examination process yet another time when the system that was supposed to bring in uniformity was failing. Yet there was no accountability, and I believe strongly that it was that moment that brought in a shift in the minds of the students to take to the streets to cry their hearts out," he said.'Protest Is Fundamental Right'Stressing that protest is a fundamental right in a democracy, Annamalai questioned why the government delayed in holding talks with the protesters until it led to a flashpoint."The pertinent question, however, is this: why did the BJP-led central government take so long to initiate a dialogue with the protestors? Why was meaningful engagement delayed until the protest had escalated to a flashpoint? What kept you waiting?" he asked.'People With Vested Interests'He also emphasised that the students and those leading them have a responsibility to prevent those with vested interests from hijacking their protests."It is natural that when a protest stays on for weeks, people with vested interests will take the stage to air views that are either completely irrelevant to the initial demands of the protests or would try to completely hijack it to serve their agenda. If you remain silent and let these people with vested interests further their agenda, then you are deviating from your core objectives. Please do not let it happen," he said.Annamalai also urged the government to engage in meaningful dialogue, uphold transparency, and take swift, appropriate action to address the students' concerns."The strength of any nation lies in the confidence its youth place in its institutions. If our students lose faith in the fairness and credibility of our education system, we are jeopardising the future of our nation," he added.