Former Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan has broken his silence on his resignation, saying some people tried to mislead young people during the protests over the NEET paper leak controversy.
Speaking at a felicitation ceremony for Padma awardees in Sambalpur on Saturday, Pradhan said he had met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and sought his permission to acknowledge the concerns and aspirations of the younger generation.
“I have been a victim of Gen Z,” Pradhan said, adding that he felt some people had tried to mislead young people as the episode unfolded.
Dharmendra Pradhan recalls meeting PM Modi
Pradhan said he met Prime Minister Modi and requested permission to acknowledge the concerns of young protesters instead of allowing their grievances to be used for political purposes.
“I met the Prime Minister and requested him to agree to the desire of Gen Z,” he said.
According to Pradhan, Modi accepted the request and later addressed the issue himself.
The former minister also said he did not consider the matter a question of personal prestige.
Pradhan resigned amid NEET protests
Pradhan resigned as Union education minister on July 25 after weeks of protests over the NEET paper leak controversy.
In his resignation note, he said the decision was intended to prevent the agitation from being exploited for political purposes and to protect the interests of students.
Pradhan had maintained that the government acted after irregularities were reported in the NEET-UG examination. The case was handed over to the Central Bureau of Investigation, while a re-examination was subsequently conducted.
“I never turned away from this situation,” Pradhan said, reiterating that he had taken responsibility from the beginning.
Pradhan highlights role of young people
At the Sambalpur event, Pradhan also highlighted the importance of India’s young population in the country’s future.
He said millions of young people will play a crucial role in India’s ambition to become a global leader.
“Every year, around two crore children are born in India,” Pradhan said, adding that the generation currently entering adulthood would have a major role in shaping the country’s future.
His remarks come amid renewed efforts by the government and other organisations to engage with younger voters following the student protests.
BJD hits back at Dharmendra Pradhan
Pradhan’s comments drew a response from the Biju Janata Dal (BJD).
BJD Sambalpur district president and former minister Rohit Pujari criticised Pradhan over the handling of the student protests. He alleged that the former minister faced criticism because of the government’s response to the agitation.
Pujari also alleged that police action during the protests had contributed to the controversy surrounding Pradhan’s tenure.
The exchange comes as the political debate over the NEET controversy and its handling continues, with both the government and Opposition parties offering sharply different assessments of the events.
