Education minister resigns amid student-led protests

When Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan broke the news of his resignation in a two-page explanation letter, the Cockroach Janta Party’s immediate reaction — at least on social media — was not celebration.

The political pressure group simply posted an “update” on its core demands from the government.

“1.Dharmendra Pradhan must resign – *CHECK*
2. 1 crore to the families of all students who died by suicide – PENDING
3. No action against any of the student protesters – PENDING,” the post said.

In a speech addressing protesters at Jantar Mantar, CJP Founder Abhijeet Dipke said action must be taken against the police officers who injured women and students by the use of inappropriate and brutal force.

He named certain police officers accused of brutality and said, “if we can make a minister resign, what are you?” he said.

“Remember, do not mess with cockroach,” Dipke said, adding: “and to the people of India, this is how a democracy should be.”

Also in a moment of humility, Dipke asked supporters not to make him a “hero” because of Pradhan’s resignation. “Don’t make this mistake…The country has been ruined because of making one person a hero,” he said, alluding to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

India’s Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said he has sent his resignation to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in what is being seen as a major victory for the Cockroach movement and student protesters.

It was not immediately clear if Modi has or will accept Pradhan’s resignation.

“Amid the situation that has emerged in Jantar Mantar and across the country, my resignation has been sent to the Honorable Prime Minister so that anti-national forces do not take advantage of the situation, the unity of the country remains intact, no student in India gets entangled in legal complications, and our children can focus their time on their studies and careers,” Pradhan said in a post on X.

“I deeply respect the aspirations, feelings, and legitimate expectations of ​the country’s youth,” he went on to say.

Cheers erupted among the thousands of protesters who have been rallying in central Delhi and elsewhere as ⁠the ​news spread. The update reached protesters quickly despite suspended internet services in and around the protest site.

The Cockroach movement has called for a nationwide candle march on Sunday evening, as it looks to keep up the pressure on the Narendra Modi government.

“One person, one candle. For every student the government failed. March together in silence,” the poster said.

That is despite ongoing talks between the movement’s spokespeople and the government. CJP leaders and protesters on the ground have said that they will keep taking to the streets until Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan resigns.

Critics of the movement have pointed out that the government has arrested several reported to be involved in the paper leak scandal. Moreover, paper leaks have long happened in India even under previous governments. A common arguments is that removing a minister would not make a difference.

Countering this, protesters and their supporters have said that as education minister, the buck stops with Pradhan. CJP leaders have repeated that the minister must take accountability for the leak, which reportedly pushed at least 20 students to suicide.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi uploaded yet another reel overnight — this time thanking “friends” for their suggestions over a Gen-Z style video posted late the night before.

“I had a chance to meet you all late last night. The response to the video I posted, the insightful suggestions… thank you everybody,” he said in the latest video.

In the previous reel, the prime minister had appealed to the nation that the government had taken several steps to counter the paper leak issue. It was one of his lesser-produced videos shot in a less-than ideal angle, seemingly in an attempt to connect with the youth.

Many protesters on ground read the video as a “desperate attempt” to manage the students’ anger as protests began to spread nationwide. “He suddenly woke up and posted a panic reel because they didn’t expect the protests to reach this stage,” one protesters told DW, asking to stay anonymous over fear of backlash.

Meanwhile, social media did what it does best and made memes.

The Prime Minister appears to have acknowledged that he is watching and learning.

Political pressure group Cockroack Janta Party’s leader and Founder Abhijeet Dipke has been diagnosed with typhoid, he said in the early hours of Saturday in a post on X.

“I have been diagnosed with typhoid. My treatment is on, I am being administered IV [fluids] day and night,” Dipke said, holding up his hand to show the catheter set up.

“But I really want to thank the cockroaches which have been protesting peacefully across the nation and have made this movement so successful. A big, big thankyou to all and congratulation to you all for such a big,big success. And I am very sure if we continue protesting peacefully, Dharmendra Pradhan will have to resign,” he said, speaking of the education minister.

Dipke and several protesters have been camping at the Jantar Mantar protest site since over a month now.

There have been accusations of police brutality in New Delhi after police used tear gas and batons against anti-government protesters from the “Cockroach” movement.

The mood among protesters is rather tense, DW correspondent Adil Bhat reports. People gather in large numbers, chant slogans and demand the resignation of India’s education minister, Dharmendra Pradhan.

The current protest movement is not tied to any ideology, he adds: “it will continue even if there is no leadership.”

Cockroach Janta Partyspokesperson and Indian government respresentatives are set to meet for the second round of talks on Saturday evening, after first round of talks on Friday did not lead to a breakthrough.

This comes amid youth-led nationwide protests in India against a struggling education system and Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, after a national medical enterance exam’s question papers leaked in May.

The leak affected millions of medical aspirants and is believed to have led to several students committing suicide.

“They had given us the time for 3:30-4:00 p.m. (1000 GMT-1030 GMT) today. The location has not been finalised yet,” CJP National Spokesperson Ashutosh Ranka told news agency ANI.

“Discussions are very clear. We should get written confirmation for the two demands on which there has been in-principle agreement. So that they can be closed. We need clarity over Dharmendra Pradhan — whether they will seek his resignation or not. We want an answer in Yes or No because there is not much scope for deliberation over this,” he said.

On Friday, CJP’s chief spokesperson Saurav Das and Ranka met Union Ministers Jagat Prakash Nadda and Jitender Singh at “neutral ground.”

The ministers were presented CJP’s three core demands: Pradhan’s resignation, monetary compensation for the families of the students who committed suicide and no legal action against peaceful protesters.

The ministers reportedly sought a day’s time to respond on the resignation demand and agreed to the other two.

Hello and welcome to DW’s India blog.

This is Mahima Kapoor reporting from the New Delhi bureau and I will be your guide through the massive student-led protests which began in the capital and are now spreading across the nation.

This is a high stakes weekend. Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government is set to hold a second round of talks with Cockroack Janta Party spokespeople on Saturday evening.

Remember, yesterday government representatives had asked for a day’s time to respond on the movement’s central demand — the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.

Protesters in central Delhi continue to show up in large numbers which are expected to grow even more into the weekend.

Meanwhile, Modi’s cabinet approved amendments to a paper leak legislation with stricter punishments and fines for those convicted. The bill could be introduced in the Indian Parliament as soon as Monday.

Tune in for all of this and more.