Centre stands firm as opposition gives 24-hour ultimatum over Pradhan resignation

The opposition party (CJP) on Friday reiterated its demand for the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, setting a 24-hour deadline and threatening to restart its march to Parliament if the demand is not met. However, the government has indicated it will not bow to the pressure, leading to a stalemate.

Union Ministers J P Nadda and Jitendra Singh held talks with CJP spokespersons Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka at the Constitution Club, seeking 24 hours to respond to the demand. However, sources said the government is unlikely to concede, fearing it would set a precedent for future protests. “The government cannot be seen as succumbing to the pressure of any protesting forces or groups. Tomorrow, another group could come up and demand the resignation of other ministers or even the Prime Minister. There will not be any end to it,” a government source said.

The demand for Pradhan’s resignation follows the leak of the NEET exam paper, which sparked widespread protests. The government on Friday sacked 47 officials of the National Testing Agency (NTA) as part of a major overhaul of the body that conducts the exam. The CJP, which has been leading the protests, insists that Pradhan must take moral responsibility for the leak.

During the meeting, Das and Ranka informed the ministers that the CJP would proceed with its “Chalo Sansad” march if Pradhan does not resign within 24 hours. Nadda and Singh asked the CJP spokespersons to wait for the top leadership’s decision. However, sources indicated that the Prime Minister has made it clear that the government is ready to take all possible steps to make the examination process foolproof but will not yield to demands for resignation.

The ministers also discussed the issue of compensation for families of NEET aspirants who died by suicide following the paper leak. While the government has agreed to look into ways to compensate them, it urged the CJP not to announce a specific amount, such as Rs 1 crore. “The government will see the rules and procedures for providing compensation in these circumstances. The District Magistrates have been asked to look into the details of each family. The government has to ensure it does not create a wrong precedent and withstands judicial scrutiny,” a source said.

The impasse has cast uncertainty over the rest of the Monsoon Session of Parliament, which has been largely disrupted. The government managed to introduce the Prevention of Insults to National Honour (Amendment) Bill in the Rajya Sabha on Friday, which criminalises obstruction or insult to the national song “Vande Mataram”. A united Opposition has also called for Pradhan’s resignation before Parliament discusses the NEET paper leak. Meanwhile, the government is preparing to introduce a draft Bill for stricter punishments for paper leaks, including fines up to Rs 10 crore. Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the draft Bill on Thursday night, and the Union Cabinet cleared the amendments to the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024 on Friday.

Nadda and Singh are expected to meet Das and Ranka again on Saturday, but with the government firm on its stance, a resolution appears unlikely in the near term.