‘Responsibility before position': NDA praises Pradhan's resignation amid political storm

New Delhi: Senior BJP and NDA leaders on Friday defended Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation as Union Education Minister, describing it as an act of responsibility and reaffirming the government's commitment to resolving concerns over examination irregularities through dialogue and legal reforms.

BJP Rajya Sabha MP Sudhanshu Trivedi said the Centre was working with "full urgency and commitment" in the interest of students. He highlighted that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had decided to establish fast-track courts for paper leak cases and noted that Parliament had recently passed a stringent law providing strict punishment for those involved in examination paper leaks.

Trivedi added that BJP president and Union Minister J.P. Nadda, along with Union Minister Jitendra Singh, would continue discussions with protesting students to find a solution. He contrasted the government's approach with that of Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi, accusing him of making political statements outside Parliament while avoiding debate inside the House. According to Trivedi, the government's objective was to resolve the issue through meaningful dialogue, whereas the Opposition was attempting to create confrontation.

He also urged students to remain cautious, alleging that disruptive and politically motivated groups were trying to exploit the protests for their own interests.

Minister of State for Home Affairs Bandi Sanjay Kumar praised Pradhan's resignation, saying it reflected the BJP's guiding principle of "Nation First, Party Next, Self Last." He said Pradhan had served the country for decades in various public roles and that stepping down demonstrated accountability and respect for public sentiment.

Bandi Sanjay said that under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership, democracy meant listening to the people, respecting their voice and taking responsibility when required. He thanked Pradhan for his years of service, stating that public trust remained more important than holding office.

Meanwhile, BJP's Delhi unit cited remarks by Delhi Police claiming that investigations into the ongoing Jantar Mantar protests had identified more than 400 Pakistan-operated social media accounts allegedly spreading misinformation through AI-generated content, deepfake videos, edited images and manipulated posts related to the demonstrations. According to the police, several of these accounts had also been involved in circulating misinformation during Operation Sindoor.

The BJP said such activities were part of an attempt by anti-India forces to mislead the country's youth and influence the ongoing protest movement through false narratives.