New Delhi, 25 July (H.S.):

Amid nationwide protests over the NEET-UG question paper leak controversy and the police action against students, the Congress on Saturday described the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan as a victory for students and the youth. Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi said Pradhan’s resignation was a major step towards restoring the country’s education system, but asserted that the struggle was far from over. He said Prime Minister Narendra Modi must apologise to students and those responsible for violence against them must be held accountable.

In a video shared on social media platform X, Rahul Gandhi said Dharmendra Pradhan had become a symbol of the decline of India’s education system and that his resignation was an important and symbolic step. Congratulating students and young people across the country, he said they had taken to the streets to defend democracy, the Constitution and their future, and deserved to be proud of their struggle.

Rahul Gandhi said two major demands still remain. First, those responsible for the alleged lathi-charge, violence and other actions against students must be identified, held accountable and subjected to strict action. Second, Prime Minister Narendra Modi should publicly apologise to students in recognition of their aspirations and in the interest of the nation’s future.

Speaking to reporters, Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra described the Education Minister’s resignation as a historic victory for India’s youth. She said young people had fought for their rights through peaceful means and compelled the government to yield. Despite the alleged use of pellet guns, tear gas and baton charges against protesting students, they refused to back down. Priyanka said that in a democracy, the will of the people is supreme and no government or leader can suppress the voice of the people indefinitely.

She said Rahul Gandhi had consistently raised concerns over paper leaks and irregularities in the examination system, while the Congress, through the National Students' Union of India (NSUI) and the Indian Youth Congress, had continuously supported the students' movement. Priyanka added that this was only the beginning and that the struggle for comprehensive reforms in the education system would continue.

Addressing a press conference at the Congress headquarters in New Delhi, Congress Media and Publicity Department Chairman Pawan Khera said students, youth and unemployed people across the country had compelled the Education Minister to step down through their sustained struggle. He alleged that Dharmendra Pradhan had become a symbol of a failing education system, unemployment, corruption in the education sector, alleged police brutality and governmental insensitivity.

Pawan Khera said the fight was not limited to the resignation of a single minister but was against an entire system that had pushed the country's education sector into crisis. He reiterated that accountability must be fixed for the alleged violence against students and that the Prime Minister should apologise to the nation. He said the Congress and student organisations would continue their movement until comprehensive reforms are introduced in the education system and all major demands of students are fulfilled.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar