At an emotionally charged meeting held at Mantralaya's conference hall this afternoon, the health minister was caught between agitated parents, representatives of students' organisations and professors from across the state.

As soon as the minister invited the parents to speak, every speaker argued that the CET was unfair on the students and if not cancelled, must be delayed. Dr Shridhar Kamat, a parent himself and member of a citizen's group, handed over a copy of the model question paper supplied to CET applicants to the minister asking him to answer a particular question from it. After carefully reading the question, Aher thought over it for a while andreturned the question paper to Kamat admitting that he was not able to answer.

The entire hall laughed adding to the minister's embarrassment. Kamat, however, promptly asked them to maintain decorum. A visibly angry Aher later said that he was ``not answerable'' to these question papers and the lacuna in the entire examination could always be removed. He was unhappy for ``being grilled like an accused standing in a witness box.''

Parents including doctors, lawyers and other professionals were anxious to know if the CET would be conducted or not. An advocate from Aurangabad and two others, said that the CET should be conducted in Marathi, Hindi and Urdu also. But Aher was startled when Ganesh Sadavarte, an activist working with veteran social worker Govindbhai Shroff, launched a political attack on Aher.``I do not want to tell the minister how much he is disliked in the rural area. But one thing is sure - we do not want the CET at all at any time. Students in the rural areas do not have any facilities andthe CET is adding to their frustration. They might commit suicide in coming days. I am warning Dr Aher to comply with suggestions made by Govindbhai,'' he said. Shyam Nilangekar from Nanded, professor Subhash Muttepawar from Vidarbha and Chittaranjan Shirodkar of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad, accused the government of inaction and not properly representing the case in the Supreme Court. Bharat Bhandare from Andheri said the parents must accept the fact that the CET has to be conducted and should be mentally prepared for the same.

However, the minister said the new dates for the CET will be decided in due course of time after holding talks with Medical Education Secretary T C Benjamin. Aher also said that he will meet Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee on June 23 and request him to help the Maharashtra government in this matter.

The review petitions filed separately by the state government, the worried parents and the agitating members of students' groups, in the Supreme Court would come up forhearing anytime between July 9, 1998 when the apex court opens, and July 30. The petitioners had requested the minister to suspend the CET till the SC decides on the review petitions. Dr Aher immediately accepted the request.

Aher, accompanied by Advocate General C J Sawant, Law and Judiciary secretary S K Shah, director of Medical Education and Research Directorate, Dr V L Deshpande, said that the state government were strongly against holding the CET this year.

Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.