Opposition Congress on Tuesday criticised the ruling BJP over the felicitation of Dharmendra Pradhan in Parliament after his resignation as Education Minister over the NEET paper leak and the linked suicides of over 20 students.
Speaking in the Lok Sabha, Congress deputy leader of the House, Gaurav Gogoi, noted that 21 children lost their lives under Pradhan’s tenure and yet he was garlanded as if he had returned victorious from the border.
“Aren’t you ashamed? The minister under whose tenure 21 children lost their lives resigned, but when he came to the House yesterday, you garlanded him as though he had returned after fighting a war with Pakistan. You honoured him as if he had returned victorious from the border,” Gogoi said.
He alleged that Dharmendra Pradhan didn’t accept the truth when the paper leak happened in 2024 and that his attitude remained the same in 2026 too.
“It should be a matter of shame that under this minister’s watch, 21 children lost their lives, yet the Modi government honours him,” the Congress leader added.
He further alleged that the RSS, BJP’s ideological parent organisation, has taken over the country’s education system.
Both Pradhan and the new Education Minister, Pralhad Joshi, have been members of the RSS.
Gogoi also slammed the central government over police brutality against students during the Jantar Mantar movement.
“In this movement, while we saw humanity, on the other side we also saw the brutal lathi charge carried out on the youth. We cannot forget that a policeman slapped a girl and hit her in her private parts with a baton. Pellet guns were used on the youth,” Gogoi charged.