India’s education minister resigns after weeks of ‘Cockroach’ protests

Dharmendra Pradhan quits in first major concession from PM Narendra Modi’s government after nationwide demonstrations.India’s Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan has resigned, handing a big victory ⁠to youth protesters nationwide who had demanded that he quit to take responsibility for a series of examination paper leaks.Pradhan announced his resignation on X on Saturday, just as police fired tear gas to scatter the protesters in New Delhi, hours before their leaders were set to hold another round ‌of talks with federal ministers.Recommended Stories list of 4 itemslist 1 of 4Indian student protests: What’s next after Modi’s promise on exam leaks?list 2 of 4India’s ‘Cockroach’ leaders hold talks with gov’t as protests continuelist 3 of 4Indian activist Wangchuk ends 26-day hunger strike over exam paper leakslist 4 of 4‘Televising our revolution’: India’s Gen Z flips Modi’s social media gameend of list“Considering the situation that has arisen at Jantar Mantar and across the country, so that antinational forces do not take advantage of this situation … I have sent my resignation letter to Prime Minister [Narendra Modi],” Pradhan wrote in his post.“I deeply respect the ⁠aspirations, feelings, and legitimate expectations of ⁠the country’s youth.”Pradhan said he did not want to allow tens of thousands of students calling for his resignation to be taken advantage of by “anti-national forces”. He said he did not want to see pupils become “entangled in legal complexities” instead of studying and building their careers.Cheers erupted among the thousands of protesters who have been rallying at New Delhi’s Jantar Mantar area and elsewhere as the news of Pradhan quitting spread.The demonstrators are part of a political satire movement, known as the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), established to channel the discontent of India’s youth, many of whom believe they have been failed by Modi and his government.Federal authorities ⁠have restricted access to the internet and to 18 metro stations to try ⁠to limit the protest in the capital.