As several students gathered in central Delhi on Saturday afternoon, they were met with tear gas and a heavy police presence. However, the situation changed for them soon after as they soon heard the news of Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation from the post of Education Minister, a demand that was central to the ongoing protests led by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP).
Several students who spoke to HT about the developments said that tear gas shelling occurred as they joined the protest on Saturday. “My friend and I have been coming (to the protest) since the first day and faced tear gas shells in the afternoon. The next minute, we heard that he (Pradhan) had resigned. I can’t tell you the happiness we experienced,” said 21-year-old Yashika, adding that the anonymous strangers at the site hugged each other upon hearing the news. She said: “We tasted the joy of victory today.”
Another demonstrator expressed his happiness at the news. “Right now, we were being subjected to tear gas. On July 20, the police beat up many youth in the crowd. But despite this, our demand was met. It is as if the accountability we wanted has been given to us,” the student said, referring to the clash between protesters and security personnel on the day the CJP called the “Sansad Chalo” rally.
“The government and the police tried to stop us, but…”
Protesting students chanted as Pradhan stepped down as education minister, saying that while “the government and the police tried to stop us”, they did not succeed. “This protest was important because we have to stand against something that is wrong, we have to make the government wake up. The last few days have shown that Bhagat Singh, BR Ambedkar and other figures are among the youth,” said 23-year-old Lakshay Chauhan, who is pursuing a master’s degree in Haryana.
One of the women at the protest said that the youth are the future of the country, and Pradhan’s resignation was the first step towards accountability. The woman, who asked to remain anonymous, said: “This is how things should be in our country, but it hasn’t been like that for a long time. What happened today is an impossible victory. No one expected it. I supported the cause and these children, but I knew they were up against a very big system.”
“I still can’t believe it”
While the news of Pradhan’s resignation came as a shock and surprise to many, some could not believe it.
Kabir Dwivedi (22), another student who participated in the protest, said: “I feel nervous that the announcement will turn out to be a lie. However, I can only feel happy that this protest has actually been successful, even if only partially for now.”
Another protester expressed similar sentiments, recalling how they witnessed tear gas shelling before news of the Education Minister’s resignation emerged. “We cannot believe this has actually happened,” said 25-year-old doctor Khushi Singh. “I think this will keep the government under control, because we have shown them that we are capable of removing them from power. From now on, a better education system must be put in place, and agencies like NTA must do their work properly.”
It is worth noting that the government’s major action against the National Testing Agency (NTA) came just a day before Pradhan stepped down. Forty-seven NTA officials have been dismissed, pending legal action. The development came months after the NEET-UG paper leaked, necessitating a retake of the exam, which sparked anxiety among students.
People expect more
The overall feeling at the protest site was one of hope and relief, with Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation being the main demand of the students. However, some also stressed that many improvements in the country’s education system are still pending.
“This is an incredible victory, and it is a victory for the students,” said Ravi Rekari, 23, a data analyst in Delhi. “However, there is still a lot to be done. Similar officials across the federal government, like at the state level, should be held accountable. The main problem is that corruption has become very acceptable in this country, and the public is aware of it and is living with it. The mentality of the people has to change.”
Khushi Chopra, 24, who works as a video editor, said: “What is the meaning of one person’s resignation? Although it is an incredible achievement, it will not be enough alone, as a similar person will replace Pradhan. In addition, the problems that led to this protest were not just due to Prada, but were caused by the improper functioning of many big agencies, and the corruption of a large number of officials. Systemic change is required, otherwise this will only be a symbolic victory.”
Tear gas bombardment today
Several protesters said they witnessed tear gas shelling minutes before news of Pradhan’s resignation arrived. HT has learned that the tear gas shelling took place at around 1:56 pm on Tolstoy Road, in front of the entrance to the Jantar Mantar protest site.
Tear gas shelling, heavy police presence and barricades were also seen on July 20, the day the Sansad Chalo march was called and when students and security personnel clashed.
At least 15 FIRs have been registered in connection with the violence that took place that day. The E-FIR states that, given the sensitivity of the location and the need to protect Parliament House and other key installations, police resorted to “light beating” and fired tear gas shells to disperse what they described as a “violent crowd”.
