Sharad Pawar says the Prime Minister may have heeded his advice to hold talks with the protesting youth

Prime Minister Narendra Modi interacts with NCP (SP) President Sharad Pawar during a meeting at Parliament House in New Delhi. File | Photo credit: PTI

Veteran politician and Rajya Sabha MP Sharad Pawar on Saturday (July 25, 2026) said his advice to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to hold talks with the protesting youth “may have been heeded”, adding that democracy in the country is witnessing a revival.

Mr Pawar, who heads a faction of the Nationalist Congress Party, was speaking to reporters in Pune after the Union government accepted the Janta Party’s demands, including Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation as Union Education Minister.

The government should not have used lathi charge and tear gas against the protesting students, Mr. Pawar said… “Responding to the urgent demand of the protesters, the Union Education Minister has finally resigned today. This fight, which stood firmly against oppression without fear and forced the government to take moral responsibility for injustice, is a symbol of the strength of democracy,” he added.

Protest rally changes celebration

In Mumbai, Thackeray’s cousins ​​Uddhav and Raj congratulated the protesting youth, saying they had rid the country of fear.

Shiv Sena UBT chief Uddhav Thackeray and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray will go ahead with plans to hold a joint rally dubbed the ‘Tiranga March’ on Sunday morning. They had earlier appealed to all the protesting youth and their parents in Mumbai to join the rally and raise their voice against the government. But after the CJP withdrew its protest, the Thackerays said the rally would now be held to celebrate the victory of the youth.

The protests showed that “dictatorship cannot be imposed on the country,” Mr Uddhav Thackeray said at a joint press conference with his cousin.

“The cockroach bowed to the dictator”

“The youth brought the country out of the atmosphere of fear. The cockroach bowed down to the dictator. Those who addressed the youth as cockroaches should not behave arrogantly,” he added.

Mr. Raj Thackeray said that the Education Minister should have resigned earlier. He also praised the Mumbai police for “not behaving like the Delhi police”. Several videos that have gone viral on social media show the Mumbai police interacting with and directing the protesting youth.

Mr. Uddhav Thackeray asked Union Home Minister Amit Shah why firearms, water cannons and sticks embedded with nails were used against the protesting students. “Youths were batoned, women were assaulted… fools were forced to infiltrate,” he claimed.

The two leaders appealed to Mumbaikars to join them at Shivaji Park on Sunday at 10 am.

Published – 25 Jul 2026 18:58 IST