Indian Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Saturday announced his resignation, fulfilling a key demand of youth protesters who had demanded accountability for the leak of examination paper in nationwide demonstrations.
In a post on X, Pradhan announced his resignation, as police fired tear gas to disperse protesters in Delhi. “Considering the situation that has arisen at Jantar Mantar and across the country, so that anti-national forces do not take advantage of this situation … I have sent my resignation letter to the prime minister,” he wrote. “I deeply respect the aspirations, feelings, and legitimate expectations of the country’s youth,” he added.
“We have done it,” said Abhijeet Dipke, founder of the Cockroach Janata Party that led the protests, at the Jantar Mantar protest site in Delhi. The announcement led to cheers from the gathered protesters, with indications the demonstrations might soon come to a close.
Ahead of the resignation announcement, federal authorities had restricted access to the internet and to 18 metro stations to try to limit the protest in the capital.
The protests had emerged as one of the biggest challenges to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s rule, with opposition politicians joining the youth in their demonstrations.
Analysts say the demonstrations, triggered by leaks of question papers for national entrance exams, reflect growing anger over job scarcity, corruption and government accountability.
Apart from Delhi, protests also occurred in the states of West Bengal, Telangana, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, with students demanding Pradhan’s resignation and boycotting classes in some places.