Pralhad Joshi takes over as Union Education Minister, vows to work with ‘humility and honesty’ | Today’s news
Union minister Pralhad Joshi has taken additional charge of the education ministry following the resignation of Dharmendra Pradhan on Saturday following weeks of youth-led protest at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar. In his first reaction since assuming the charge, Joshi thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for reposing faith in him and vowed to discharge his duties with “humility and honesty”.
President Droupadi Murmu accepted Pradhan’s resignation from the Union Council of Ministers with immediate effect. Joshi, who currently holds the portfolios of consumer affairs, food and public distribution and new and renewable energy, has been given the education ministry in addition to his existing duties.
“I thank the Prime Minister for giving me such a huge responsibility and entrusted me with this responsibility with great trust. Under his leadership and guidance, I will carry out this responsibility with full strength, humility and honesty,” Joshi told PTI.
Youth are watching: CJP
Joshi’s appointment came after the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) called off its 37-day agitation at Jantar Mantar following the Centre’s assurance of key demands linked to alleged irregularities in the NEET-UG examination.
Reacting to the appointment, CJP chief spokesperson Saurav Das said the organization would soon meet the new education minister and urged him to implement his five-point charter on examination reforms.
“Our concerns and demands have been addressed. Whoever becomes education minister should know that the youth is watching. They will demand accountability. Work for the youth, stop paper leaks and implement our five-point recommendations,” Das told ANI.
He said the Center had assured the organization that another round of reform talks would be held within a month.
“Government agrees to withdraw FIR”
Describing Pradhan’s resignation as a “huge victory for the youth”, Das said the government had agreed to withdraw the FIRs registered against the protesters, would refrain from filing fresh cases, would provide suitable compensation to the families of NEET aspirants who died by suicide, and would continue discussions on broader education reforms.
Das also said the CJP would initiate legal action against Delhi Police and Rapid Action Force personnel accused of using excessive force during the July 20 protests. However, he described the organization’s meeting with Delhi Police Commissioner Anurag Kumar as “cordial”.
CJP National Spokesperson Ashutosh Ranka also welcomed Joshi’s appointment and termed the outcome of the agitation as a victory for democratic accountability.
Following the withdrawal of the protest, authorities restored mobile internet services around Jantar Mantar, while the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation resumed normal operations on its network after days of security-related restrictions.
The CJP ended its agitation after the third round of talks with Union ministers JP Nadda and Jitendra Singh, saying it had accepted the government’s assurances in “good faith” and expected the commitments to be implemented on the agreed dates.
