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Shivakumar Welcomes Resignation, Credits Students and Opposition

Karnataka Chief Minister DK Shivakumar on Saturday welcomed the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, calling it a "long overdue acknowledgement" of accountability amid the NEET-UG controversy.

In a post on X, Shivakumar said, "Today belongs to the students of India. The resignation of the Union Education Minister is a long overdue acknowledgement that accountability cannot be postponed when the future of our youth is at stake." He credited students and the Opposition for the development. "This moment belongs to those who refused to lose hope and continued to demand justice with courage and conviction. My salute to our students and youth who stood up for what was right, and to LoP Shri @RahulGandhi Ji and the entire Opposition for standing firmly with them throughout this fight. Our responsibility does not end here. We must now build an education system that is fair, transparent and worthy of the dreams and aspirations of every student," he said.

Pradhan Cites 'Larger Interest of Students' for Stepping Down

Earlier today, submitting his resignation to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Pradhan stated that he was stepping down in the larger interest of students to ensure that the country's youth do not become "trapped in a web of confusion." He highlighted his long-standing association with education and reaffirmed his commitment to the aspirations of India's youth.

Nationwide Protests and Agitation Led to Resignation

The controversy began as a NEET-UG paper leak emerged in May, while the re-examination was held on June 21. The Cockroach Janata Party (CJP), beginning as a satirical social media account from CJI Surya Kant's remarks, led the movement along with activist Sonam Wangchuk at Jantar Mantar in the national capital, demanding Pradhan's resignation. Congress and the opposition also joined the call for the resignation, with protests on the streets of Delhi and outside Parliament. Union Ministers JP Nadda and Jitendra Singh held the third round of talks with the CJP. Following the talks, the CJP announced an end to their agitation, calling for protesters to go back.

Dharmendra Pradhan had stated that he had submitted his resignation to PM Modi to ensure that the protests over examination irregularities were not exploited by "anti-national forces." The resignation came after weeks of nationwide protests over alleged examination irregularities and a 26-day hunger strike led by Wangchuk at Jantar Mantar. The agitation was spearheaded by the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP), which has been demanding accountability over alleged paper leaks.

On July 20, the group organised a 'Sansad Chalo' march from Jantar Mantar to the Parliament, during which instances of laathi charge and tear gas shelling were reported to disperse the huge crowd gathered in central Delhi.