Daijiworld Media Network - New Delhi
New Delhi, Jul 25: Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi on Saturday welcomed the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, describing it as a significant victory for students who had been protesting against alleged irregularities in competitive examinations, including the NEET-UG paper leak controversy.
In a post on X, the Congress leader said the minister's resignation was an important milestone in the effort to reform India's education system and congratulated students across the country for their sustained campaign.
Gandhi praised the student community for what he described as a peaceful democratic movement, saying their collective efforts had demonstrated the strength of public participation in safeguarding democracy, constitutional values and the future of the country's youth.
He said the resignation reflected the power of citizens coming together to demand accountability and commended students who had participated in protests despite the challenges they faced.
However, Gandhi maintained that the resignation alone was not sufficient and asserted that two key demands of the protesting students still remained unresolved. He said Prime Minister Narendra Modi should apologise to students and the nation over the alleged failures in the examination system, and called for strict action against those responsible for the alleged use of force against students during the protests.
In a video message, Gandhi said the outcome should encourage other sections of society, including farmers, workers and economically weaker communities, to stand up against what he termed injustice. Urging people not to be intimidated, he said courage and collective action could bring about change.
The Congress leader also renewed his criticism of the BJP-led government, accusing it of undermining democratic institutions and constitutional principles. He asserted that the time had come for political change and appealed to citizens to unite against what he described as attacks on democratic values.
Earlier in the day, Dharmendra Pradhan submitted his resignation as Union Education Minister amid growing pressure over the alleged NEET-UG paper leak and other examination-related irregularities.
His resignation followed widespread student protests at Delhi's Jantar Mantar and demonstrations in several parts of the country, where protesters had been demanding accountability, reforms in the examination system and the Education Minister's removal.