The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) on Saturday described Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation as Union Education Minister as a victory for the student movement, with celebrations breaking out at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar protest site shortly after the announcement.

The development comes after weeks of protests over alleged examination irregularities, particularly the NEET-UG paper leak, during which protesters had repeatedly demanded Pradhan’s resignation.

Also Read | ‘He lies in the ICU today’: Sonam Wangchuk’s wife urges compassion after he ends 26-day fast

How did CJP react to Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation?

Sharing a post on X, the CJP wrote, “Chhatra Shakti Zindabad” (Long live student power), calling the resignation a victory for students across the country.

Videos from Jantar Mantar showed protesters celebrating alongside CJP convener Abhijeet Dipke, with slogans raised after news of the resignation became public.

The party also shared Pradhan’s resignation letter on social media, reiterating that the development reflected the strength of the student-led movement.

CJP Founder Abhijeet Dipke speaks to the media after Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation
ZOOM IMAGE
CJP Founder Abhijeet Dipke speaks to the media after Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation | ANI

Addressing supporters after the resignation, CJP convener Abhijeet Dipke said the movement would continue despite Dharmendra Pradhan stepping down. He demanded ₹1 crore compensation for the families of students who allegedly died by suicide in connection with the examination controversy and called for strict action against police personnel over the crackdown on protesters during the July 20 march to Parliament.

“Dharmendra Pradhan has resigned, but we have two more demands… Action must be taken against the police officers,” Dipke said, adding that the protest would not end until those demands were addressed.

What did Dharmendra Pradhan say in his resignation letter?

In a letter addressed to the country’s youth and shared on X, Dharmendra Pradhan said he was accepting moral responsibility for the developments surrounding the NEET-UG examination while defending the government’s response to the controversy.

According to Pradhan, the Centre transferred the investigation to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) after irregularities surfaced, cancelled the examination and conducted a fresh test on June 21 through what he described as a “whole-of-government approach.”

He further claimed that some people occupying positions of responsibility tried to mislead students, but he didn’t specify any names.

Also Read | Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan resigns amid nationwide protest

According to Pradhan, his resignation was meant to ensure that students could pursue their academic and career goals and stop “anti-national forces” from taking advantage of the situation.

His resignation came in the wake of demonstrations organized by CJP and backed by an activist, Sonam Wangchuk, who had been protesting against the irregularities in the exam.

FAQs

Q1. Why did CJP celebrate Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation?


CJP celebrated Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation as the victory of the student movement after weeks of protest against the irregularities in the NEET-UG exam.

Q2. What did Dharmendra Pradhan say in his resignation letter?


In his resignation letter, Dharmendra Pradhan took moral responsibility for the incident while justifying the government’s role in handling the NEET-UG controversy.