New Delhi: July 25, 2026: The resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan has triggered jubilation among student protesters, Congress NSUI, and the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), whose weeks-long campaign over the NEET paper leak and education reforms kept pressure on the government. Yet even as celebrations erupted, Congress and others insisted that one resignation cannot close the chapter.
CJP Founding President Abhijeet Dipke hailed the development as a victory for fearless public resistance. “Dharmendra Pradhan has resigned. And this resignation is proof that if you people are not afraid, if you people do not bow down to this government, then we can take the resignation of anyone,” he declared, crediting the movement’s persistence for forcing political accountability.
Actor Prakash Raj congratulated the protesters, Sonam Wangchuk, and those who stood with students, writing that they had shown “you can bring a regime down to its knees.”
The Congress, however, argued that the resignation is only the beginning. Congress General Secretary Jairam Ramesh said the country is still waiting for Prime Minister Narendra Modi to apologise to students, maintaining that the government’s response to the NEET crisis remains incomplete. The party described Pradhan’s exit as “a victory for India’s youth and Gen Z,” while asserting that Rahul Gandhi and the Congress had fought “from the streets to Parliament” for justice and would continue pressing for structural reforms in the education system.
Trinamool Congress MP Saket Gokhale echoed the sentiment, saying the real credit belongs to students who endured lathi charges and violence without backing down. He questioned who would now be held accountable for ordering the police action against protesters.
Meanwhile, climate activist Licypriya Kangujam alleged that even as news of the resignation broke, Delhi Police used lathi charges and tear gas against protesters near Sansad Marg and Tolstoy Marg, urging authorities to halt all violence and keep the focus on the movement’s demands.
Despite celebrating what it calls its first major victory, the Cockroach Janta Party insists its campaign is far from over. The organisation says two key demands remain unresolved: ₹1 crore compensation for the families of students who died by suicide and assurances that no legal action will be taken against student protesters.
For CJP, Pradhan’s resignation is not the destination. For the Congress and other opposition voices, it is merely the first concession in a larger struggle over accountability, police action, and the future of India’s education system. As the celebrations fade, the battle over who bears responsibility and what reforms come next appears set to intensify.
JANPATH NEWS NETWORK (JNN)
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