Prime Minister Modi wrote a letter when he republished the official declaration of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization on Sarnath.
About two hours after Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan finally resigned amid massive youth protests, Prime Minister Narendra Modi posted on X about a “proud moment for every Indian!”.
He said he was happy that Sarnath in Uttar Pradesh was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. “Sarnath has a close relationship with Lord Buddha, whose timeless message of wisdom, compassion and harmony inspires the world,” the post on PM Modi’s own handle read. There was no publication before then, at least until 6.15 pm, about Pradhan’s resignation.
Regarding UNESCO recognition, he said that it “celebrates India’s deep cultural and spiritual heritage.”
“It will also inspire more people around the world to come to Sarnath and connect with the ideals of Lord Buddha,” the post also said.
He republished with him the official declaration of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
Among other posts, on July 24 and 23 he published posts about the ongoing protest led by the Sarsour Janta Party. In one such clip, he urged activist Sonam Wangchuk, who was on hunger strike during the CJP protest, to “follow doctors’ advice and regain your old weight as soon as possible” after breaking his fast.
Late on the night of July 23, he posted a selfie-style video — a casual aesthetic allegedly directed at Reel-friendly Gen Z protesters — promising tougher laws to curb paper leaks. Less than 48 hours later, the minister resigned, saying he took responsibility for the NEET-UG leak in May.
The protest has ended for the time being as the government has also accepted demands to restore cases against protesters who were beaten by police on July 20 as they marched towards Parliament – a moment that further fueled the protests – and to compensate those who died by suicide after the paper was leaked.
Pradhan’s resignation was the key ‘non-negotiable’ demand of the CPI(M) as well as the Rahul Gandhi-led Congress.
BJP leaders are heaping praise on Pradhan
However, senior BJP leaders praised Dharmendra Pradhan, highlighting his role in implementing the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and bringing changes in India’s education system.
For example, Assam state president Himanta Biswa Sarma said Pradhan worked with a focus on “restoring the civilizational spirit of Bharat” and promoting the process of “decolonization” in education. He also praised Pradhan’s commitment to implementing the New Economic Policy despite the political challenges.
Union ministers and several other leaders shared leaflets praising Pradhan, a senior BJP leader from Odisha whose father was also a minister in the BJP-led NDA government led by Atal Bihari Vajpayee nearly three decades ago.
Opn, CJP reaction
Meanwhile, Rahul Gandhi said the protest was a “warning” from students and opposition to the government “that you cannot run the country the way you have been running it.”
He said the resignation was “one step in a very deep problem.”
Meanwhile, CJP’s Abhijit Debke also had a message for Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, from the platform of Jantar Mantar, minutes after Dharmendra Pradhan resigned under pressure from the movement that owes its origin and name to remarks made by India’s chief justice.
“I would like to thank CGI Surya Kant. If he had not called us cockroaches, I would not have come to India. This movement would not have started,” the founder of the Kokruche Janta Party told his supporters.
This commentary traces the movement back to its origin, at a May 15 Supreme Court hearing on the appointment of a senior advocate, where the CJI observed that “there are young people who are like cockroaches, who are not getting any work and have no place in the profession.” Kant later said that the remark was only directed at holders of fake law degrees, not the widespread unemployed youth. He has since reiterated that sections of the media misquoted him. The clarifications did little to prevent the statement from spreading widely.
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