BJP welcomes Dharmendra Pradhan after resignation; Congress calls gesture 'insult to youth'

New Delhi: Former Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan was welcomed by BJP leaders at the Parliament complex on Monday, days after he resigned from the ministry following widespread student protests over alleged examination irregularities.

BJP MPs greeted Pradhan with a traditional cap and stole, along with slogans of "Pradhan Zindabad". The gesture triggered criticism from Opposition parties, who questioned the decision to publicly felicitate him amid ongoing concerns over paper leaks and the education system.

Congress calls welcome a 'grave insult' to students

Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh criticised the BJP's decision to welcome Pradhan, saying the party was treating him as if he had achieved a major accomplishment.

Ramesh alleged that Pradhan had not apologised for the paper leak controversy in his resignation and instead accused students of being misled. He said the BJP's celebration of Pradhan was a "grave insult" to the country's youth.

The Congress leader questioned whether the BJP considered Pradhan's tenure successful despite allegations of paper leaks, concerns over the education system and the police action during student protests.

Opposition raises slogans against Pradhan

While BJP leaders welcomed Pradhan inside the Parliament complex, Opposition MPs raised slogans including "Chor Chor, Paper Chor" against the former education minister.

Congress leaders accused the government of failing to address student concerns and demanded accountability over the handling of protests linked to examination irregularities.

Gogoi questions education reforms and anti-paper leak measures

Congress deputy leader in Lok Sabha Gaurav Gogoi alleged that the government was not serious about reforming India's examination system.

Gogoi criticised the proposed amendments to the anti-paper leak law, calling them insufficient and questioning whether stricter laws alone would solve the problem without deeper reforms.

He also questioned the announcement of a new high-powered committee on education reforms, stating that an earlier committee headed by Infosys co-founder K Radhakrishnan had been formed two years ago but had not resulted in visible changes.

Government introduces stricter anti-paper leak bill

Amid the political controversy, the government introduced the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026, in the Lok Sabha.

The proposed legislation seeks stricter punishment for paper leaks, including imprisonment of up to 10 years and fines of up to Rs 50 lakh. It also proposes completing investigations into paper leak cases within two months.

The bill was introduced by Minister of State for PMO Jitendra Singh amid Opposition protests over the alleged police action against students during the July 20 march to Parliament.

Student protests and political fallout

The controversy follows weeks of student protests led by the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) over alleged irregularities in competitive examinations, including the NEET-UG paper leak issue.

The protests intensified after the July 20 'Sansad Chalo' march, during which police reportedly used tear gas and lathi charges to disperse demonstrators.

Opposition parties have continued demanding accountability over the police response and have called for discussions in Parliament on the issue.

Pradhan's resignation and continuing debate

Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation came after mounting pressure over the examination controversy and student protests. Following his resignation, Pralhad Joshi assumed charge as the Union Education Minister.

The government has also announced a high-powered task force headed by Infosys co-founder Nandan Nilekani to recommend measures aimed at making the examination system more secure.

The political dispute over Pradhan's welcome highlights the continuing divide between the government and Opposition over responsibility for examination reforms, student grievances and the handling of protests.