From protest to celebration: Mood shifts at Freedom Park as Union Minister Pradhan resigns
Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan has resigned following widespread student protests over the NEET paper leak. Protesters at Freedom Park in Bengaluru celebrated the resignation as a victory while calling for further reforms and the abolition of the National Testing Agency.
Why it matters
The resignation marks a significant political shift in response to youth-led activism regarding the integrity of national competitive examinations.
Hundreds of students, parents and activists, who were protesting at Freedom Park over the NEET paper leak and crackdown on protesters in New Delhi, broke into celebration after Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan resigned on Saturday.
The protesters chanted slogans and distributed sweets. “The resignation feels like a victory after a long battle. We came up with songs and slogans on the spot and sang together, and everything felt organic,” said Prarthana, a working professional who visited the protest site that by evening turned into a place of celebration. It had, by default, also become a place where old school and college friends renewed contact, she said.
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