Keralam Chief Minister VD Satheesan on Saturday welcomed the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, saying that "Gen Z has shown the way" and that democracy and constitutional values had become stronger. CM Satheesan praised Rahul Gandhi and the Opposition for supporting students and raising the issue of examination irregularities. He also remembered the young lives lost due to question paper leaks and said their sacrifice would not be forgotten.
In a post on X, Keralam CM wrote, "They came, they fought, and they won. Gen Z has shown the way. Democracy stands stronger and constitutional values have prevailed."
This comes after Pradhan announced his resignation, saying he had submitted it to Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the interest of students and to ensure that the ongoing protests over examination irregularities were not exploited by "anti-national forces."
Further, Biju Janata Dal (BJD) president and Leader of Opposition in Odisha, Naveen Patnaik, also congratulated the youth of India, Gen Z, and said their voices should be respected in a strong democracy. He added that no one is above the will of the people and that the future of India belongs to the youth.
"I congratulate the young people of India, especially the Gen Z for this victory. Accountability and sensitivity to public opinion are integral values of a strong democracy. Nobody is above the will of the people. Voices of our people, especially of the youth, deserve to be heard. The future of India belongs to the youth. I wish them all the best," Patnaik wrote in a post on X.
Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati said the decision came after the protests by students and youth. Mayawati said the resignation should have happened earlier. She also demanded strict action against police personnel accused of using force against students during protests at Jantar Mantar.
"The decision by the Central Education Minister Shri Dharmendra Pradhan to resign today, prompted by the movement of the country's students and youth, is appropriate; it would have been better had it been taken earlier. At the same time, our party expects from the central government that strict action should be taken against those police personnel who brutally assaulted unarmed boys and girls peacefully protesting at Jantar Mantar with lathis, batons, and the like, resulting in a large number of them being seriously injured.”
“And especially those male police personnel who engaged in indecent and shameful misconduct with the girls and used force against them should be identified, and the strictest legal action should be taken against them by initiating disciplinary and criminal cases, so that no one dares to commit such disgusting acts in the future," Mayawati said.
"In addition, the government should withdraw all FIRs or complaints filed against the protesting students and youth, so that they do not have to run around police stations and courts in the future, and their future does not get ruined because of this, enabling a harmonious atmosphere to prevail in the country once again. At the same time, I want to tell all the protesters that they should not allow any party to politicise their struggle in this matter and should not let their future be ruined either," the post read.
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