Breaking his silence for the first time since his resignation, former Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Monday described himself as a “street warrior” and not an “AC room activist”.
Pradhan reportedly made the remark during an interaction with senior Congress MP Jairam Ramesh in the corridors of Parliament.
During their conversation, the two leaders recalled their long friendship. At one point, Ramesh reportedly said, “It happens.” Responding to this, Pradhan said, “Nothing happens. I am a street fighter, not an AC room activist.” Pradhan is a Lok Sabha member from Odisha’s Sambalpur constituency.
Pradhan received a warm welcome from NDA leaders in Parliament on Monday, with BJP MPs staging a show of solidarity two days after his resignation amid nationwide protests over the alleged NEET paper leak. The ruling party MPs greeted him by chanting “Dharmendra Pradhan zindabad” slogans.
The Congress slammed the BJP for felicitating Pradhan in the Parliament complex, calling the gesture “utterly shameful” and “a grave insult” to the country’s youth.
The Buburreci Janta Party (CJP), launched in May by 30-year-old public relations graduate Abhijeet Dipke, had led protests over the alleged NEET paper leak and demanded Pradhan’s resignation. The CJP started its protest at Jantar Mantar on June 20.
Activist Sonam Wangchuk joined the protest on June 28 and went on an indefinite fast for 26 days. On July 18, he was forcibly transferred to Safdarjung Hospital. Later, following an order from the Delhi High Court, Wangchuk was shifted to Medanta Hospital.
The 36-day agitation, led by the CJP, ended on Saturday with the resignation of Dharmendra Pradhan as Union Education Minister.
