BHUBANESWAR — Breaking his silence two weeks after resigning from the Union Cabinet, Sambalpur MP Dharmendra Pradhan stated that attempts by vested interests to “mislead” Gen Z students during the NEET paper leak protests prompted his decision to step down as Union Education Minister.
Addressing students and faculty at GM University in Bhubaneswar, Pradhan revealed that he voluntarily approached Prime Minister Narendra Modi on July 25 to hand in his resignation, reiterating that safeguarding youth aspirations meant more to him than holding ministerial office.
Key Highlights
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Reason for Exit: Pradhan cited political exploitation and misdirection of agitating students during NEET paper leak demonstrations as the main catalyst behind his decision to step down.
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Response to Local Opposition: Defending his record against criticism and BJD “go back” protests in Odisha, Pradhan affirmed his dedication to the state’s pride and dismissed allegations leveled by BJD chief Naveen Patnaik.
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BJD Counterattack: BJD leaders rejected Pradhan’s assertions, countering that public backlash stemmed from police action against student protesters at Jantar Mantar rather than party politics.
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Cross-Party Engagement: Despite political friction, Pradhan attended the Rairakhol event alongside BJD MLA and Deputy Leader in the Assembly Prasanna Acharya, noting he had secured prior clearance to speak.
