Amid CJP protest, Dharmendra Pradhan’s daughter deactivates Instagram as trolls target her for studying abroad | Today’s news
Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan’s daughter, Naimisha Pradhan, has deactivated her Instagram account after facing massive flak amid the ongoing protest by the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP), a youth-led movement seeking education reforms.
Naimisha has come under online scrutiny for her decision to study abroad. She received her Master of Laws (LLM) from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University in Massachusetts, USA.
Anger on social media intensified after the police cracked down on student protesters during the CJP’s march to Parliament earlier this week.
Quick answers to key questions
•5 QUESTIONS
Naimisha Pradhan has deactivated her Instagram account due to intense trolling and scrutiny of her decision to study abroad amid the ongoing protests led by the Cockroach Janata Party.
The CJP is protesting accountability for alleged irregularities in the entrance exams as well as broader reforms to India’s education system.
Social media users criticized Naimisha Pradhan for studying abroad, suggesting that her decision reflects the failure of the Indian education system, and demanded action against her from her university.
Dharmendra Pradhan slammed opposition parties for allegedly using students as political tools and claimed the government was committed to addressing their concerns about education reforms in Parliament.
Calls for Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation stem from allegations of failures and corruption during his tenure, as voiced by opposition leaders during ongoing protests related to the education system.
Users tracked down Naimisha’s Instagram account and left comments on several of her posts. Many also tagged her in posts and videos asking why she studied abroad while her father oversees the Indian education system.
Several Instagram users shared posts claiming that Naimisha chose to study abroad because of the shortcomings in the Indian education system. Some also tagged Tufts University and demanded action against it.
Dharmendra Pradhan’s daughter deactivates her Instagram account amid trolling over American education.
One post read: “You study abroad because you know what millions of Indian students already know: our education system is failing them,” adding that many more students would also leave India if they had “privilege and money”.
Social media users also posted comments on Tufts University’s Instagram page chanting slogans such as “Dharmendra Pradhan resign” and calling for Naimish’s expulsion from the university.
However, Naimisha is said to have completed her LLM in 2023 and is now working as a senior fellow at the US-India Strategic Partnership Forum (USISPF).
“To drag a family member into it, especially someone who doesn’t make decisions, crosses the line”
Several users argued that criticism should remain focused on the education minister rather than his family.
Read also | CJP LIVE protest news: Nadda, Jitendra Singh to meet CJP representatives today
“To drag a family member into this, especially someone who isn’t decisive, crosses the line,” wrote one user. The user added: “Criticize those in power, question their actions and demand change.”
Dharmendra Pradhan to protest
Meanwhile, Dharmendra Pradhan publicly reacted to the ongoing CJP protest and criticized the Congress and Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi.
Posting on X, the Union Minister said, “LoP Shri @RahulGandhi and @INCIndia continue to brazenly use students as political tools to create disruptions during Monsoon session of Parliament.
Read also | CJP protests: ‘Don’t waste time,’ says CJI on plea against police action
He also accused Rahul Gandhi and other opposition leaders of staging a sit-in outside the Prime Minister’s residence, causing public inconvenience and ignoring security measures.
Pradhan said the government had already expressed willingness to discuss NEET and other concerns raised by the youth in Parliament, but said the Congress had “chosen political spectacle over democratic debate”.
“For Rahul Gandhi, this is not about students. This is about industrial confrontation after every genuine avenue for discussion has been opened,” he said.
Read also | CJP LIVE protest news: Nadda, Jitendra Singh to meet CJP representatives today
Adding that the government “remains 100% committed to discussing NEET”, the minister said students “deserve much more than to be treated as a prop in a political campaign”.
“We owe our students more than outrage. We owe them answers, reforms and accountability. That’s exactly what our government continues to commit to,” Pradhan added.
