Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation was inevitable, says Kerala Chief Minister VD Satheesan

Students and activists celebrate the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan at Kaloor in Ernakulam on Saturday, marking the success of the student and youth protest at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi. | Photo credit: RK Nithin

Chief Minister VD Satheesan welcomed the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.

In a social media post on Saturday, Mr Satheesan said the resignation was inevitable. Although late, the resignation was tendered when it became clear that Mr. Pradhan could no longer continue in his post. For days, students who gathered on the streets in protest after the NEET question paper leak were ambushed to silence them. However, the attempt failed. A big salute to the youth of India who have shown courage in their struggle.

Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi and opposition parties strongly supported the student protests. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) tried to save Mr. Pradhan even as serious allegations were leveled against him. Finally, Mr. Pradhan had to resign.

“This is a historic victory. Dictators had to bow down in the face of a valiant fight,” the chief minister wrote.

“Those who tried to suppress the protests, incited mobs to thwart the protests, dragged opposition leaders through the streets, mistreated our MPs…those who adopted anti-democratic means to suppress the protests are now hanging their heads in shame,” the chief minister wrote on Facebook.

Entrance tests like NEET should be conducted without any irregularities, Mr. Satheesan said and appealed to the Union Government to refrain from playing with students’ future and lives at least now.

Pinarayi welcomes the move

Leader of the Opposition in the Kerala Assembly Pinarayi Vijayan termed Mr. Pradhan’s resignation as a hard-won victory for the students, who stood firm in the face of repression, and a major setback for the Union government, which chose to defend a discredited system instead of ensuring justice.

“However, this struggle cannot end with one resignation. The National Testing Agency must be fundamentally restructured and the struggle must continue against the National Education Policy which centralizes power and undermines states’ rights. India deserves an education system that is transparent, accountable and rooted in federalism,” Mr Vijayan wrote on social media platform X.

Priyanka’s reaction

AICC general secretary and Wayanad MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Saturday welcomed Mr. Pradhan’s resignation, calling it a victory for India’s youth and democracy after continuous student protests across the country.

“I am very, very happy for many reasons. The main reason is that today, July 25, 2026, is the day when the people of this country started claiming their country back from those who tried to destroy the constitution and suppress the voices of the people,” Ms. Vadra told reporters during her visit to Wayanad.

She called the development a “victory for the youth of India” and praised the students for carrying out their agitation peacefully despite facing police action.

A brilliant triumph for students: Venugopal

AICC General Secretary KC Venugopal, MP, termed the Union Minister’s resignation as a brilliant triumph of Indian students and youth who waged a fierce struggle. Speaking to the media in Karunagappally on Saturday, shortly after the minister resigned, he added that if the resignation had come earlier, the students would not have had to shed blood.

Noting that the minister’s resignation did not mean the end of the problem, Mr. Venugopal demanded strict action against the officials who assaulted the students, financial assistance to the families of the students who committed suicide and immediate withdrawal of all cases registered against the protesting youth.

Victory of the People: Baby

Mr Pradhan’s resignation is the beginning of the end for the BJP-led government at the Centre, CPI(M) general secretary MA Baby said while addressing the media in Kochi on Saturday.

Mr. Baby said forcing the minister to resign was a huge victory for people’s intervention in public affairs. He compared the victory of the student protest to the long-running farmers’ agitation that forced the Narendra Modi-led government to scrap three controversial farm laws in 2021.

Published – 25 Jul 2026 20:36 IST