‘A minister’s resignation won’t bring down the government’: Anna Hazare to PM Modi

Invoking Gandhi's ideals, the activist urged dialogue with NEET protesters and criticised the handling of Sonam Wangchuk's hunger strike.

3 min readPuneJul 22, 2026 07:49 PM IST

Referring to the NEET examination, Hazare said allegations of paper leaks and irregularities had surfaced in both 2024 and this year.

Invoking Mahatma Gandhi’s ideals of satyagraha, non-violence and democratic values, anti-corruption activist Anna Hazare on Wednesday urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to address the demands of students protesting over the alleged NEET paper leak through dialogue rather than suppressing their voices. He also said seeking the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan would not weaken the government but would reinforce accountability.

In a letter to the Prime Minister, Hazare wrote, “The news of yesterday’s violence and police action against the ongoing agitation in New Delhi is extremely painful. Such incidents are in no one’s interest in a democratic system. It is my firm belief that, under any circumstance, violence, damage to public property and unnecessary use of force must be avoided.”

He said the growing anger among young people over examination paper leaks, delays in recruitment, unemployment and other issues should not be viewed merely as a law-and-order problem.

“Today, lakhs of youth across the country are experiencing deep concern and resentment due to question paper leaks, delays in recruitment processes, unemployment and several other issues. It is necessary to view this resentment not merely as a law-and-order problem, but as the agony and expectations of society,” he said.

Referring to the NEET examination, Hazare said allegations of paper leaks and irregularities had surfaced in both 2024 and this year.

“This year too, around 22 lakh students appeared for the examination, while incidents of question paper leaks surfaced. Reports of 22 students dying by suicide due to despair have also emerged. Reports of widespread irregularities have also been published regarding the results of the re-conducted examinations. Whenever any irregularity or scam is exposed in government functioning, the blame is shifted to lower-level officials, while the government takes credit for everything that goes well. This is not appropriate. Ultimate accountability lies with those in senior positions,” he wrote.

Hazare said students and parents had been peacefully protesting for the past 25 days, demanding the education minister’s resignation.

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“If a minister’s resignation is sought by fixing accountability, it will not cause the government to fall. Rather, it will send a clear message to other ministers that if they fail to perform their departmental duties properly, they will have to relinquish their posts. This will make the functioning of the government more accountable and effective,” he said.

Hazare also criticised the forceful hospitalisation of activist Sonam Wangchuk, who has been on an indefinite hunger strike in solidarity with the protesting students.

“The manner in which Wangchukji was forcibly removed from his fasting site, without any meaningful dialogue initiated by the government beforehand, was unfortunate. His fast continued in Delhi for several days, yet no government representative or secretary-level official visited the protesters to engage in dialogue,” he wrote.

Concluding his letter, Hazare said differences of opinion were a natural part of democracy and should be resolved through dialogue rather than confrontation.

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“Our country is the inheritor of Mahatma Gandhi’s ideals of satyagraha and the democratic values established by the Constitution. Differences of opinion are natural, but their resolution must come through dialogue, sensitivity and mutual respect,” he said.

Manoj Dattatrye More

Manoj Dattatrye More is a Senior Editor at The Indian Express, having been with the publication since 1992. Based in Pune, he is a veteran journalist with a 33-year career that spans editorial desk work, investigative reporting, and political analysis. Professional Legacy Experience: He spent his first 16 years on the editorial desk before moving into active field reporting. He has written over 20,000 stories, including more than 10,000 bylined articles. Impact Journalism: He is widely respected for "campaign-style" reporting that leads to tangible social change. Road Safety: His decade-long campaign regarding the dangerous state of the Pune-Mumbai highway in Khadki resulted in a ₹23 crore reconstruction project in 2006, which dramatically reduced fatalities. Environmental Protection: His reports against tree cutting on the Pune-Mumbai and Pune-Nashik highways saved approximately 2,000 trees. Anti-Corruption: During the COVID-19 pandemic, he exposed a scam where doctors were being asked to pay bribes for government jobs, resulting in them being hired without payment. Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) Manoj More's recent work focuses heavily on the shifting political landscape of Maharashtra and civic governance in the Pimpri-Chinchwad area: 1. Political Shifts & Alliances "Ajit Pawar's NCP continues domination in Pune, wins 10 of 17 local bodies" (Dec 21, 2025): A major report on the local self-government election results, detailing the NCP’s stronghold in Baramati, Indapur, and Lonavala. "BJP ropes in 13 ex-corporators, deals major blow to NCP" (Dec 20, 2025): Reporting on a significant political defection in Pimpri-Chinchwad as the BJP gears up for civic polls. "Congress opts for solo BMC run as alliance talks with Sena (UBT) collapse" (Dec 17, 2025): Covering the breakdown of Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) talks for the Mumbai civic elections. "NCP(SP)'s Rahul Kalate, Sena (UBT) leader Sanjog Waghere set to join BJP" (Dec 19, 2025): Detailing high-profile party-hopping ahead of the municipal elections. 2. Civic & Administrative Accountability "PCMC draws ire for issuing tenders worth Rs 250 crore just before poll code" (Dec 17, 2025): An investigative piece on the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation’s last-minute spending spree before election restrictions. "93 killed in 76 accidents in five years: Bypass service roads in Pune remain undeveloped for 18 yrs" (Nov 16, 2025): A critical look at the long-delayed infrastructure projects contributing to fatalities on Pune’s bypass roads. 3. Social & Labor Issues "As state says TCS has laid off 376 employees: FITE flags figures, say nearly 2,500 were forced to quit" (Dec 11, 2025): Investigating conflicting reports regarding IT sector layoffs in Maharashtra. "Maharashtra govt move to 'downgrade' Aadhaar cards" (Nov 30, 2025): Reporting on the state’s decision to require additional documents alongside Aadhaar to combat identity misuse. Signature Beat Manoj More is the definitive voice on Pimpri-Chinchwad, an industrial hub he has covered for three decades. His reporting is characterized by its aggressive stance against local "gondaism" (thuggery) and a relentless focus on civic infrastructure—choked drains, garbage management, and public transport. X (Twitter): @manojmore91982 ... Read More

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