Tamil Nadu Congress Committee president K. Selvaperunthagai on Thursday said the party would stage a protest on Friday condemning the BJP-led Union government for granting a one-year extension to Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) director Praveen Sood.
The party would also protest against the Center for not allowing states to conduct their own entrance exams for medical admissions instead of the National Eligibility Test (NEET).
He said in a statement that Mr. Sood had already been granted a one-year extension from May 2025 after completing two years of service as CBI director. He also pointed out that Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, who is part of the selection committee to pick the CBI director along with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah, had objected to providing only a list of 69 recommended officials instead of the full list.
Despite objections raised by Mr. Gandhi, granting the one-year extension to Mr. Sood was undemocratic, Mr. Selvaperunthagai said. He also questioned the motive behind the extension and alleged that the CBI was being used as a puppet of the BJP-led Union government.
The cancellation of the recent NEET exam held on May 3 came as a shock to the students. According to him, the National Testing Agency, which conducts NEET, has failed in its duty. In Chennai, the party will hold a protest near Tondiarpet post office at 10 am, which will be attended by senior Congress leaders, he added.
Published – 14 May 2026 22:43 IST
