'Beginning of BJP Govt’s end': CPM hails Pradhan resignation

Kochi: CPM general secretary M A Baby on Saturday described Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation as a major victory for the student-led protests over alleged NEET examination irregularities. He said the development marked "the beginning of the end" of BJP rule at the Centre.

Addressing reporters in Kochi, Baby said the resignation was the BJP government's second major political setback after it was forced to withdraw the three contentious farm laws following a prolonged farmers' protest.

"Some television channels described this as the first time the Narendra Modi government had been forced to bow before a public agitation. We should not forget the historic farmers' movement under the Samyukta Kisan Morcha, which compelled the government to withdraw the three anti-farmer laws after more than a year of struggle," he said.

Baby said the latest agitation was an equally relevant victory, claiming that the Union Minister responsible for education was eventually forced to resign despite what he described as attempts to shield him.

'Broad-based democratic movement'

According to Baby, the protest at Jantar Mantar, which began on June 20 and continued for 35 days, saw large-scale participation by students and young people from across the country.

He said the movement had grown beyond a student protest, with Opposition parties and several public figures extending their support. He named cricketer Sachin Tendulkar, actors Mammootty, Naseeruddin Shah and Manju Warrier, and writer N S Madhavan among those who had backed the protesters.

Baby also said student organisations including the Students' Federation of India (SFI), All India Students' Federation (AISF) and All India Students' Association (AISA) had supported the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP), which spearheaded the agitation.

Baby alleged that police used excessive force against protesters, claiming that lathis fitted with iron nails, electric rods and pellet firing were among the methods used.

Despite the alleged police action, Baby said the movement continued to gain momentum and eventually led to the Centre conceding one of the protesters' key demands.

However, he said several demands remained unresolved, including Rs 1 crore compensation for the families of students who allegedly died by suicide, withdrawal of criminal cases against protesters and an independent inquiry into alleged irregularities in entrance examinations.

Baby said organisations leading the movement planned to request former Supreme Court judge Justice Gopala Gowda to head an independent inquiry into alleged police excesses and identify those responsible.

He questioned why the Union government had not ordered such an inquiry and said the protest organisations had taken the initiative to seek accountability.

Calls for changes in education system

Baby also criticised the National Testing Agency (NTA) and the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. He alleged that the BJP government was pursuing what he called the "three Cs"- centralisation, commercialisation and communalisation- in education.

He said the centralisation of entrance examinations through the NTA, the commercialisation of education and alleged attempts at communalisation remained major concerns. He added that the demand to abolish the NTA was yet to be addressed.

On the Congress party's role in the agitation, Baby said Rahul Gandhi had not visited the Jantar Mantar protest site during the campaign but welcomed his subsequent support for the issue in Parliament.

He also congratulated CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke, activist Sonam Wangchuk and student organisations, including the SFI, for continuing the agitation despite what he described as threats and pressure.

"This experience shows us that united struggles will be victorious. We should stay resilient and continue on till all our demands are met," Baby said.

(With PTI inputs)