Gen Z gets an A+: Dharmendra Pradhan exits, CJP dissolves protest with big victory
The minister submitted the documents ahead of the latest round of talks with CJP leaders on Saturday, during which the government assured withdrawal of FIRs against protesters, non-retaliation and “honorable” compensation to families of students who allegedly died by suicide following the paper leak. The meeting with Union ministers JP Nadda and Jitendra Singh ended with the CJP announcing immediate withdrawal of the nationwide agitation.
Pradhan became only the second minister to resign during the 12-year tenure of the Narendra Modi-led government; this was seen as a rare escalation by the regime in the face of growing public support for the student-led protest.
Pradhan, who announced his resignation in a letter addressed to young people on the social media platform
“Keeping all these aspects in mind, I have sent my resignation to the Prime Minister,” Pradhan said. He said that he took responsibility for the crisis from the first day and made efforts to ensure that no successful student was victimized or deprived of justice due to the exam mafia.
Despite the defection, the BJP ensured that there was no uncertainty over Pradhan’s position in the party, with several senior leaders visiting Pradhan on Saturday.
Later in the day, President Droupadi Murmu accepted Pradhan’s resignation and the government gave additional charge in the education ministry to Union minister Pralhad Joshi. Pradhan also said that he resigned to ensure that “anti-national forces” do not exploit the situation and that “the unity of the nation remains intact”.
Home minister Amit Shah visited Pradhan earlier in the day. Later, a host of leaders, including Union ministers Piyush Goyal, Nirmala Sitharaman, Ashwini Vaishnaw and Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Delhi chief minister Rekha Gupta and many BJP MPs and RSS functionaries were at his house to express solidarity. Before Pradhan, MJ Akbar had resigned as minister of state for external affairs after several women journalists accused him of sexual harassment during the 2018 #MeToo movement.
Addressing a joint press conference with ministers on Saturday, CJP spokesperson Saurav Das said the organization had withdrawn the agitation “in good faith”, trusting that the agreed terms would be implemented within the promised timeline. Fellow spokesperson Ashutosh Ranka asked protesters across the country to end the demonstrations peacefully and return to their homes.
Nadda said the government agreed that no fresh cases would be filed against the protesters and FIRs already registered by Delhi Police and BJP-ruled states should be withdrawn. The Center has also agreed to provide “dignified” compensation to families of NEET-related suicide victims as per rules. It will meet with the CJP again in four weeks to discuss the group’s five-point charter on exam reforms.
A day before the completion of talks with the CJP, the Center on Friday had announced a package of measures, including a proposed law against paper leakage, which envisages stringent penalties and fast-track trials.
The agitation launched at Jantar Mantar on June 20 has turned into one of the largest youth-led protests in India in recent times. It gained momentum when activist Sonam Wangchuk joined the movement in an indefinite fast, and culminated in her forcible removal by police on 18 July and her march to Parliament on 20 July.
It has gained wider political significance as it attracts large numbers of first-time voters and young candidates from the middle class, a constituency that the BJP has assiduously cultivated over the last decade.
As the demonstrations spread across many states, leaders from NDA allies are learned to have expressed concern over how the agitation was being handled during their interactions with the government earlier this week.
The Centre’s call to accept all major demands of the protesters comes ahead of crucial Uttar Pradesh and Gujarat assembly elections next year.
Politically recovering from the 2024 Lok Sabha defeat with wins in Haryana and Maharashtra and a historic victory in West Bengal, the BJP faces the first major youth-led mobilization in the government’s current tenure, prompting the Center to combine legal measures with political support to calm the agitation.
