Jantar Mantar is heard, Pradhan is out: Will not let youth fall prey to confusion, says Dharmendra; Pralhad Joshi gets Education charge

Pradhan’s resignation and the end of the protest cleared the decks for the government to return to Parliament Monday with a new Bill to ensure swift and stringent punishment to those involved in exam paper leaks. The draft Bill was cleared by the Union Cabinet Friday, hours after Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in a midnight video post, announced the formation of fast-track courts and a tough new law.

In an open letter announcing his resignation — he posted it on X — Pradhan said, “We will not let the nation’s youth power fall prey to a web of confusion and misinformation.”

“To ensure that anti-national forces do not exploit the situation arising at Jantar Mantar and across the country, that national unity remains intact, that no student’s future gets tangled in legal complexities, and that our children can focus their time on studying and building their careers – considering all these factors, I have submitted my resignation to the Honourable Prime Minister,” he said.

“Looking at the sequence of events over the past 10 days, my heart is deeply distressed. This is not a matter of personal reputation for me. The youth power of India is the true strength of this country,” he said.

“From day one, I took responsibility for this and never turned my back on the situation. My resolve was that we would not let any meritorious student’s prospects be ruined by the examination mafia, nor allow injustice to happen to any student,” he said.

The NEET-UG re-examination results on July 16, Pradhan said, were satisfactory with many meritorious students from underprivileged backgrounds achieving success. During this period, he said “individuals holding responsible positions attempted to create obstacles and mislead several students” which “deeply pained” him.

“I have always had unwavering faith in the strength of our democracy and a deep respect for the aspirations, dreams, and expectations of the youth. They are not just India’s future, but the carriers, creators, and architects of a new and developed India (Viksit Bharat),” he said.

According to a source, Pradhan was asked late Friday to put in his papers. On Saturday, following the announcement, the BJP threw its weight behind Pradhan, leader after leader thanking him for his services.

Acknowledging Pradhan’s “pivotal role” in reforming the education landscape and successfully implementing the National Education Policy, among other initiatives, BJP president Nitin Nabin, in a post on X, said, “Prioritising larger interests, his decision to step down reflects the highest standards of integrity and selfless service in public life. The party stands firmly with Shri Dharmendra Pradhan Ji in this decision.”

Union Home Minister Amit Shah, in a post on X, said, “For BJP workers, the country, our youth, and students are far more important than any position.” The resignation of Pradhan from his post, he said, “exemplifies this very principle”.

“The Modi government respects the sentiments of the country’s youth and is committed to implementing the necessary reforms against paper leaks. The decisions taken by Modi ji to ensure strict punishment for those guilty of paper leaks are commendable. I am fully confident that these steps will ensure complete justice for the students who succeeded in the NEET examination,” Shah said.

Later in the evening, Rashtrapati Bhavan announced that Pralhad Joshi, Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, and New and Renewable Energy, had also been assigned charge of Education.

“The President of India, as advised by the Prime Minister, has accepted the resignation of Dharmendra Pradhan from the Union Council of Ministers, with immediate effect, under clause (2) of Article 75 of the Constitution of India,” Rashtrapati Bhavan said.

“Further, as advised by the Prime Minister, the President has directed that Pralhad Joshi, Cabinet Minister, be assigned the charge of the Ministry of Education, in addition to his existing portfolio,” it said.

Joshi, who is the Lok Sabha MP from Dharwad in Karnataka, was in his constituency when he was told that he was also being given charge of the Education Ministry. He took an evening flight from Hubli and returned to New Delhi.

In a post on X, Joshi said Pradhan “has had an illustrious political career spanning decades. His commitment to the development of the nation will always be remembered”.

“His tenure witnessed the successful implementation of NEP 2020 along with over 100 big and small reforms in the field of education. Placing larger interest above everything else, Shri Pradhan Ji’s decision to step down does not in any way stop in contributing to the nation’s development,” Joshi said, adding, “Our paths will cross again in the line of development of the nation.”

– With Harikishan Sharma