Dharmendra Pradhan participated in a programme of GM University, Bhubaneswar on Saturday.
Former Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said on Saturday that there had been an attempt to mislead Gen Z during the protests over the NEET paper leak.
Addressing students and teachers at GM University in Bhubaneswar, Pradhan spoke publicly about his resignation for the first time. He said he had met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and offered to step down from the Union Council of Ministers.
“At least 2 crore children are born in India every year. Twenty crore children have been born in the last 10 years. They have aspirations, and they will make India a ‘Vishwa Guru.’ The ministerial position was not important to me,” Pradhan said, adding that holding a ministerial position was never important to him
Pradhan resigned as Education Minister on July 25, 35 days after the protests began at Jantar Mantar in Delhi.
Key points from Pradhan’s speech
- Pradhan took aim at former Odisha Chief Minister and BJD President Naveen Patnaik. He said, “I am not bothered by the protests and slogans raised by BJD workers. I am a farmer’s son. Even if you ask me to go back, I will come back.”
- He said, “I have never let the heads of 4.5 crore people of Odisha bow down in shame. As long as I am alive, I will not break the trust placed in me and will not do anything that hurts the pride and self-respect of Odisha.”
- Pradhan said, “I met the Prime Minister and sought his approval to accept the demands of the protesters. The Prime Minister agreed and later also spoke with the youth. Then I resigned.”
- Pradhan said, “Recent events show that some people tried to mislead Gen Z. Who is Gen Z? I believe they are our own. This was never a question of personal prestige for me.”
So far, there have been 4 education ministers in the Modi government, with Joshi taking additional charge
Since Narendra Modi became Prime Minister in 2014, there have been four full-time Education Ministers at the Centre: Smriti Irani, Prakash Javadekar, Ramesh Pokhriyal, and Dharmendra Pradhan. Following Pradhan’s resignation, Pralhad Joshi has been given additional charge of the Education Ministry.
Pradhan once took to the streets against paper leaks
Dharmendra Pradhan also participated in a paper leak protest in 1997. He was badly beaten. There were injuries on his face as well. -Photo Credit:TNIE
29 years ago, Dharmendra Pradhan had also protested on the paper leak issue. Prashant Raut, who was an associate of Pradhan, told The Indian Express that in 1997, when a paper leak occurred in Odisha, Pradhan had protested. Around 1,500 students participated in it.
The police lathi-charged the protesters. Dharmendra Pradhan was badly beaten. He sustained injuries at several places on his body and also suffered a fracture.
