'Gen Z Our Children, Some People Misled Them': Dharmendra Pradhan On Why He Quit As Education Minister

Dharmendra Pradhan said attempts to mislead Gen Z during the NEET paper leak protests prompted him to offer his resignation to PM Modi.

Dharmendra Pradhan resigned as education minister on July 25 amid nationwide protests over NEET paper leak.

Source : IANS

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Key points generated by AI, verified by newsroom

• Pradhan explained resigning amid NEET protests, valuing student aspirations.
• Pradhan criticized former CM Patnaik over protests and defaming remarks.
• BJD rebutted Pradhan, blaming government actions for his criticism.

Senior BJP leader and Sambalpur MP Dharmendra Pradhan on Saturday broke his silence on his resignation as Union Education Minister, saying attempts were made to mislead Gen Z during protests over the NEET paper leak issue, which prompted him to offer his resignation to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Pradhan made the remarks while addressing students and teachers at GM University, exactly two weeks after he stepped down from the Union Council of Ministers amid protests over the examination controversy.

He said he had no personal issues during the protests and emphasised that the aspirations of India's young population were more important to him than holding ministerial office.

"Gen Z is our children. Some people attempted to mislead them. I had no personal issues then. At least two crore children are born in India every year. During the last 10 years, 20 crore children were born. They have aspirations, and they will make India the 'Vishwa Guru'. The post was not important to me," Pradhan said.

'I Had Approached PM Modi'

Pradhan said he had approached Modi and offered to resign from the Union Council of Ministers.

He resigned as education minister on July 25, following sustained protests over the NEET paper leak controversy, including demonstrations at Jantar Mantar in Delhi.

His remarks marked his first detailed public explanation of the decision since stepping down from the ministry.

Pradhan Targets Naveen Patnaik

At another meeting in Rairakhol, Pradhan also hit out at former Odisha chief minister and BJD president Naveen Patnaik over protests against him.

Referring to a demonstration by BJD youth and student wing activists near the airport where protesters raised slogans including "Dharmendra Pradhan Go Back", he said such protests would not deter him.

"I am a farmer's son. Even if you tell me to go back, I will come back," he said.

Pradhan also accused Patnaik of calling him a "disgrace to the people of Odisha" and a "bad person", and questioned whether he had ever done anything that brought shame to the state.

"Have I ever done anything that will shame the people of Odisha?" he asked.

Responding to the crowd's "No", Pradhan said he might not have brought laurels to Odisha but had never disgraced the state through his work.

"I may not be bringing laurels for the state, but I have never disgraced the people by my work. I will never do any work which will tarnish the state's reputation," he said.

Pradhan said he became a Union minister 12 years ago with the blessings of Lord Jagannath and Goddess Samaleswari, the presiding deity of Sambalpur.

BJD Hits Back At Pradhan

BJD's Sambalpur district president and former minister Rohit Pujari rejected Pradhan's allegations against Patnaik and said the BJP leader had faced criticism over the government's handling of the student protests.

"Nobody had defamed Pradhan. His party and government have defamed him by police resorting to lathi-charge, tear gas and atrocities during the peaceful student agitation at Jantar Mantar. Pradhan was facing criticism because of such incidents. I do not understand why he blames Patnaik for the police excesses on agitating students," Pujari said.

Pujari also accused the BJP government of adopting policies that had damaged Pradhan's reputation and claimed that 21 students had died by suicide in connection with the examination controversy.

BJD Workers Detained

Pradhan's remarks came amid heightened political tensions in Sambalpur, with BJD workers planning protests against him.

Sources said Sambalpur Police detained around 30 BJD workers as a precautionary measure, anticipating demonstrations by the party's youth and student wings.

Pradhan's remarks against Patnaik were made at an event also attended by BJD MLA and Odisha Assembly deputy leader Prasanna Acharya.

Pradhan said he had consulted Acharya before attending the event in view of the BJD protests and that Acharya had assured him he would be welcomed.