Thiruvananthapuram/Alappuzha: AICC General Secretary and Alappuzha MP K.C. Venugopal and Leader of the Opposition Pinarayi Vijayan on Saturday welcomed the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, describing it as a victory for the country’s students while asserting that the battle for education reforms must continue.
Addressing reporters in Alappuzha, Venugopal said Pradhan’s resignation was a major blow to the Centre’s “arrogance of power”.
“This is a blow to the arrogance of power. BJP believed he could get away with everything, but the determined struggle of India’s youth proved him wrong,” Venugopal said.
He noted that for the past three months the issue had dominated public discourse, leaving students across the country under severe stress.
“Several students even lost their lives. The courage and determination shown by the youth, coupled with the fearless support extended by Rahul Gandhi, ultimately forced the Centre to retreat,” he said.
Venugopal also alleged that the authorities had used brute force against protesting students but failed to crush the agitation.
“The entire country witnessed the brutal treatment meted out to young protesters. Yet they stood firm. This is a victory for every Indian family because the future of our children was at stake,” he said.
He added that the Opposition would meet before the upcoming Parliament session to evolve a common strategy on the Bill relating to the conduct of public examinations.
In a separate statement, Leader of the Opposition Pinarayi Vijayan termed Pradhan’s resignation a hard-earned victory achieved by students who stood their ground despite repression.
Calling it a major setback for the Union Government, Pinarayi said the Centre had chosen to defend a discredited examination system instead of delivering justice to students.
However, he stressed that the movement should not end with the resignation of one minister.
He demanded a complete restructuring of the National Testing Agency (NTA) and called for continued resistance against the National Education Policy, alleging that it centralises power and undermines the rights of states.
“India deserves an education system that is transparent, accountable and rooted in federalism,” Pinarayi said, while saluting everyone who fought the battle with courage and unwavering conviction.
(IANS)
