Jantar Mantar erupts into celebrations, dancing and sloganeering as Pradhan resigns

At around 2:25 pm, as soon as news of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation broke, Abhijeet Dipke, founder of the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), let out a cheer.

Jantar Mantar protest update on 25 July 2026

He then grabbed the microphone, walked to the front of the stage and addressed the thousands gathered at the Jantar Mantar protest site: “We did it.

With fists clenched and raised in the air, he declared, “Dharmendra Pradhan has resigned. It has been said that there is no resignation in this government. Even the world will bow down if a person is found to do it.”

Amid reports of the resignation of the union education minister, the founder of CJP #AbhijeetDipke reacts with cheers at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar, saying, “We did it.”

📹 X/Cockroach pic.twitter.com/95s9roqiVw

— The Hindu (@the_hindu) July 25, 2026

The place of protest erupted into celebrations. Protesters hugged, cried and danced to patriotic Bollywood songs as victory chants echoed through the crowd and slogans like “Haar gaye, haar gaye, Tanashah haar gaye (the dictator has been defeated) echoed throughout the venue.

For many students who braved rain, heat and sleeping on the roads for days while demanding accountability, the announcement was more than just a political development. It was an emotional confirmation that their voices were finally being heard.

Despite resignation being one of the main demands, the crowd at Jantar Mantar continued to swell as people wanted to celebrate the “historic victory”.

Dozens of people gathered outside the main stage to take selfies, while long queues were seen outside the entrance of the venue as thousands continued to stream to the protest site.

Slogans of “Inquilab Zindabad” and “Bharat Mata ki Jai” filled the air inside the protest site. Some also chanted “Jang abhi bhi jaari hai, E20 ki baari hai” (the fight is not over, E20 is the next target), even as organizers repeatedly appealed to the gathering to maintain peace.

As AR Rahman’s ‘Vande Matram’ played from the stage, people sang along and Mr. Dipke waved the national flag from the center of the stage. People continued to celebrate as “Chak De! India” rang out from the stage.

People distributed ‘Melody’ chocolates to celebrate, an obvious reference to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who gifted the Italian prime minister with the confection earlier this year. Mr. Dipke, who was unwell, soon left the area.

Around 6:00 pm, CJP spokespersons Ashutosh Ranka and Saurav Das returned after meeting the Union ministers and announced that “we have won”, prompting further applause.

About half an hour later, Mr. Ranka called on people to disperse peacefully as the protest was called off. “I’ll see you soon,” he said as they both left the area.

While many people began to leave, hundreds continued to pour into the celebration, forcing volunteers to close the entrances to the protest site. Thousands of people who were still arriving at the protest site gathered at Sansad Marg leading to Connaught Place.

At 8:30 p.m., workers began dismantling the main stage. But still, people climbed on it to click selfies, amid chants of ‘Vande Bharatam’ and waving national flags.

The demonstrators split up

However, not all protesters agreed with the decision to call off the agitation.

Kuldeepak Yadav, 29, from Firozabad, Uttar Pradesh, who said he had been at the protest site since it began, was of the view that it would be difficult to continue the protest after the government agreed to three basic demands. “If we continue with the protest, many people who are originally associated with the movement may distance themselves,” he said.

But Vrutika, 17, from Mumbai, who had joined the protest a day earlier with her father, had a different view. “The protest should continue to seek the PM’s resignation. There are many pressing issues such as rising prices, financial crunch and lack of respect for the constitution,” said a XII student. classes.

“I came to fight for education and also for my rights,” she added.

Published – 25 Jul 2026 16:12 IST