Bhubaneswar: Former Union Minister and senior BJP leader Dharmendra Pradhan has said that some people tried to mislead Gen Z during the protests over the NEET paper leak issue.
Speaking during a programme held at the Gangadhar Meher University in Sambalpur on Saturday, Pradhan said, “I believe that some people tried to mislead our Gen Z.”
The Sambalpur MP also said that as a minister, it was not a matter of prestige for him. He added that the 20 crore Gen Z represents the force that will help India achieve its vision of becoming a ‘Vishwaguru’.
He said that if nearly 20 crore young people unite with determination, his own role becomes insignificant compared to their collective will.
The BJP leader added that he conveyed this sentiment to the Prime Minister, who subsequently chose to engage directly with the youth. Reiterating his stance, he stressed that the nation’s interest must always remain paramount.
In his speech, the first after resigning in the wake of students’ protests over the NEET paper leak controversy, Pradhan also stated that freedom fighters who sacrificed their lives for the motherland were the Gen Zs of their time.
Speaking in a lighter vein, the former union minister said he was also affected because of Gen Z.
It is worth noting that while addressing a public programme in Sambalpur earlier on Saturday, Pradhan said that through the blessings of Lord Jagannath and the people of Odisha, he had served as a Union Minister for 12 years without ever bringing disrepute to the state.
“Dharmendra Pradhan has never made 4.5 crore Odias hang their heads in shame. I have the blessings of Lord Jagannath and Maa Samaleshwari. As long as I am alive, whether I do good work for Odisha or not, I will never cause any harm to the state’s honour,” he said in Sambalpur.
(IANS)
