India
pti-PTI
The Congress on Saturday said Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation as education minister is not an end but the beginning of the struggle.
Congress asserts Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation over the NEET controversy is just the beginning, demanding accountability and education reforms while crediting youth and seeking a PM apology for violence against protesters.
Addressing a press conference at the AICC office here, Congress leader Pawan Khera said Pradhan was just a symbol of corruption and the corrupt system, and asserted that the fight against it will continue.
He further said that the prime minister should apologise to the students and youth of the country as it was his government that ordered the use of force and pellet guns on young protesters.
“The prime minister should apologise to the country. Not just for the violence during the protest, but also for those students whose loss of lives led to this struggle,” he said, referring to the 21 students who allegedly died by suicide, agonised over the cancellation of the NEET examination.
“No one should remain under the misconception that this is the end of the struggle; this is only the beginning. Accountability must be established, apologies must be sought, and reforms must be made in the education system,” Khera said.
He said the fight was not just against the symbol but against the system that took the lives of 21 children.
“Dharmendra Pradhan was just a symbol, not the system. We are fighting the system, not the symbol. The fight will continue,” he said.
He said Pradhan was sacked by the youth of the country.
“Don’t give credit to Narendra Modi for removing anyone. Dharmendra Pradhan was sacked by the youth of this country and the united opposition. And this is just the beginning of the end,” the Congress leader said.
He stressed that only one of their demands has been fulfilled so far, asserting that it is extremely important to establish accountability for the violence that took place against students.
Khera said Pradhan was also a symbol of the “RSS toolkit” that dubbed anyone questioning the power as “anti-national”.
“This toolkit is past its expiry date,” he said.
Asked whether this heralds the beginning of the Gen-Z era in the country, Khera said the students are trying to seize their destiny and lives in their own hands.
“This is just the beginning, and we welcome this beginning,” he said.
“History takes a turn whenever the youth of the country seize the future and the destiny of the country in their own hands. That’s what India has just witnessed,” he added.
Later, the Congress took to microblogging platform X and said Pradhan’s resignation is a victory for the youth and a triumph for India’s Gen-Z.
“This win belongs to the crores of young people across the country who raised their voices to demand a better education system. Narendra Modi’s arrogance has been shattered, and his lies have been defeated. The youth have forced an incompetent and corrupt education minister, Dharmendra Pradhan, to resign,” the party said.
“From the very first day of the NEET paper leak, Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi and the Congress Party have fought for justice for the youth, from the streets to Parliament. This fight will continue until the education system is fixed,” it read, demanding that Prime Minister Modi must apologise for ordering lathicharges and pellet-gun attacks on the country’s youth.
