A Madhya Pradesh content creator reserved a “highly offensive” reel against Pradhan

Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, who faced heat over the NEET question paper leak and irregularities in various other exams, resigned from his post on July 25 after weeks of student agitation in New Delhi and several other parts of the country. File | Photo credit: PTI

A social media creator has been arrested in Madhya Pradesh’s Niwari district for allegedly using “highly abusive” language against former Union minister Dharmendra Pradhan, the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Delhi Police in a video clip amid student agitation.

According to police, the accused, Yashpal Soni, a local social media influencer, was booked on July 23 over an Instagram reel he had posted and was being questioned in the matter.

Mr. Soni was booked under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) sections 296(a) (obscene conduct in any public place to annoy others) and 352 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of peace) following a complaint by local BJP leaders led by its block president Kamlesh Chourasiya.

Speaking to The Hindu, Niwari Superintendent of Police Ray Singh Narwaria said the video was “beyond the scope of freedom of expression”.

“He used such unwanted profanity in the video. This is in no way freedom of speech and should not be promoted,” he said.

Mr. Narwaria said that the action was taken in accordance with legal provisions and Mr. Soni was questioned in the matter.

“He himself realized his mistake and apologized for it,” he said.

In the video titled “Desh dobara gulam ho gaya hai (the nation has been enslaved again)”, Mr Soni was heard berating Mr Pradhan and BJP leaders for the former’s resignation and the police authorities for their crackdown on student protesters.

He has now removed the video from his Instagram account.

In the complaint, BJP leaders also demanded that his social media account be restricted.

Mr Pradhan, who faced heat over the NEET question paper leak and irregularities in various other exams, resigned from his post on Saturday (July 25, 2026) after weeks of student agitation in New Delhi and several other parts of the country. Its removal was a key demand of the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), which led the movement. Mr. Pradhan was replaced by his colleague in the Union Cabinet, Pralhad Joshi.

Published – 26 Jul 2026 20:35 IST