Historic Victory Says Kerala CM V D Satheesan
The Chief Minister credited opposition leader Rahul Gandhi and other parties for standing firmly with the students.
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Kerala Chief Minister V D Satheeshan has welcomed the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, calling it “inevitable” after weeks of mounting pressure.
“The resignation came late, but it was unavoidable once the situation reached a point where there was no way to hold on. Big salute to the Indian youth who raised their voices with courage and determination,” the Chief Minister said.
He added that Pradhan’s exit marks the victory of students’ protests across the country, which gained momentum after allegations of irregularities in the NEET examination. “After trying to suppress students on the streets and failing, Dharmendra Pradhan has finally stepped down. This is a welcome move,” he remarked.
The Chief Minister credited opposition leader Rahul Gandhi and other parties for standing firmly with the students. He accused the Prime Minister and the BJP of shielding Pradhan despite “serious allegations and accusations,” but said the protests ultimately forced him to resign “in disgrace.”
Calling it a historic victory, Satheeshan declared: “Authoritarian forces have been forced to bow before the strength of student movements. Those who tried to crush democracy, provoke violence, drag opposition leaders on the streets, and assault MPs now stand humbled.”
He urged the Centre to ensure that exams like NEET are conducted fairly and transparently, warning that the government must not gamble with the future and lives of students.
Students’ willpower forces Centre to kneel
Opposition Leader Pinarayi Vijayan said the Centre’s arrogance has finally bowed before the determination of India’s student community. The resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan is being hailed as a historic victory for the youth who took to the streets against corruption and flawed education policies.
He said this triumph is also seen as a major setback to the Modi government’s authoritarian rule. Despite widespread anger over question paper leaks and the tears of lakhs of students, the BJP government initially responded with heavy-handed tactics. The protests, however, exposed the true strength of democracy.
Pinarayi reminded that observers have warned that the crisis in India’s education sector is far from over. The credibility of the National Testing Agency (NTA) has collapsed. Exams like NEET, imposed by the Centre by overriding federal principles and encroaching on states’ rights, are now under sharp scrutiny.
Critics argue that the real motive behind these exams is the commercialisation and saffronisation of education.
Calls are growing to dismantle or overhaul the NTA, and to establish a new statutory mechanism for conducting exams in consultation with states.
