The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Saturday welcomed the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, describing it as a “victory of democracy” — the result of sustained protests by students and young people demanding accountability for alleged irregularities in the examination system.
Addressing the media, AAP national convenor Arvind Kejriwal congratulated the country’s youth, saying their struggle had compelled the government to act. He said the resignation reflected the strength of democratic movements and showed that governments must eventually respond to public demands.
Kejriwal alleged that public confidence in democratic institutions had weakened because governments had become unresponsive to citizens’ concerns. He said the development should serve as a reminder that elected governments are accountable to the people. Expressing hope that the Centre would now undertake comprehensive reforms in the examination system, he said measures should be taken to prevent future paper leaks and to ensure students are not driven to extreme distress.
Launching a broader attack on the BJP-led Centre, AAP Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh claimed the resignation was only the second instance in the past 12 years when the Modi government had been forced to concede to a public movement, the first was the farmers’ agitation. He alleged that the government had routinely responded to protests with force but was ultimately compelled to accept the students’ demand for the education minister’s resignation.
Singh also welcomed the reported removal of several National Testing Agency (NTA) officials, calling it a major victory for students. Referring to the nationwide protests, he said activists, including Sonam Wangchuk and Abhijeet Dipke, along with thousands of students across the country, have kept the movement alive over the past several weeks.
Former Delhi deputy chief minister and ex-education minister Manish Sisodia described the resignation as a victory achieved by students rather than a voluntary decision by the minister. He alleged that the government had initially responded to demonstrations with police action but was eventually forced to act due to sustained public pressure. Sisodia said the movement should become the foundation for wider reforms in India’s education system and in the fight against examination malpractices.
Senior AAP leader Gopal Rai termed the resignation a victory for students, youth and democracy. He alleged that despite prolonged protests, police action and the detention of activists, the Centre had refused to engage until the movement expanded nationwide.
Delhi AAP president Saurabh Bharadwaj said the resignation had shattered the perception that senior ministers in the BJP government were politically untouchable. He claimed that despite being labelled anti-national and facing various allegations, the protesting students remained united and ultimately succeeded in forcing the government to act.
Leader of Opposition in the Delhi Assembly Atishi also congratulated the student community, saying the resignation demonstrated the power of young people to hold governments accountable through democratic means.
Other AAP leaders, including MCD Leader of Opposition Ankush Narang and Kondli MLA Kuldeep Kumar, also praised the student movement, describing the resignation as a testament to the strength of collective democratic action and youth participation.