‘No reshuffle, sack Pradhan’: Rahul Gandhi backs protesting students

Rahul Gandhi said there was speculation that Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan would be shifted to another ministry. This was ‘unacceptable’, he said.

Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi on Saturday said that nothing less than Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation was “acceptable” and that he had heard from government sources that there was discussion in the Union Cabinet that Pradhan could be allocated another ministry, which he said was unacceptable.

Gandhi made these remarks at a press briefing along with All India Students’ Association (AISA) student leaders—Neha, Manish, Aameen—who had fasted for 23 days, along with activist Sonam Wangchuk, demanding Pradhan’s resignation over the NEET-UG exam paper leak.

“The students have three demands, and they are non-negotiable. This is not me saying it. This is the students of India saying it. The first is that the education minister, who is corrupt, incompetent, and misaligned, has to be sacked. There is some talk going on in Mr Modi’s Cabinet. We get information from there these days. There is talk of moving Dharmendra Pradhan from education to some other ministry. This is not acceptable. He is a symbol of corruption and what has happened to the future of India’s children… Dharmendra Pradhan has to be sacked,” Gandhi said.

The Congress MP showed injuries on the leg of one of the student leaders, who was allegedly injured during the July 20 protests in Delhi. “The people who have done this – the organizers and implementers need to be punished and accountable. The third thing is that the leader of this entire machinery – Mr Narendra Modi – has to apologize for what he has done to the students and future of this country,” said Gandhi.

#WATCH | LoP, Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi says, “…Students have three demands, and these are not negotiable demands… The first demand is that the Education Minister, who is corrupt, incompetent, and misaligned, has to be sacked… There’s some talk going on in Mr. Modi’s cabinet… pic.twitter.com/hKoXOQ4SSz

— ANI (@ANI) July 25, 2026

Since July 20, amid raging protests by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) and students in Delhi and across the country, Gandhi has been vocal inside the Parliament complex and outside on the demands being raised by the protesters.

Gandhi told the three students that he was proud of them. “I am proud of every student who is standing there resisting this government…attacking the government,” he added.

On Delhi Metro stations being shut and the government “threatening” the students, Gandhi said: “This is the system attacking them. I told them they shouldn’t worry. No amount of strength, the entire government, every single person from the government can’t move you from there. They can’t do anything. They will not move. They are the future of India. Narendra Modi is India’s past, and the past can never fight the future.”

In a lighter vein, Gandhi asked the students if they needed any medical advice for their injuries. “I am an expert on these things,” he said, smiling.

CPIM-L leader N Sai Balaji, who is a former Jawaharlal Nehru University Students’ Union president for the AISA, was also present with the students.

Asad Rehman is with the national bureau of The Indian Express and covers politics and policy focusing on religious minorities in India. A journalist for over eight years, Rehman moved to this role after covering Uttar Pradesh for five years for The Indian Express. During his time in Uttar Pradesh, he covered politics, crime, health, and human rights among other issues. He did extensive ground reports and covered the protests against the new citizenship law during which many were killed in the state. During the Covid pandemic, he did extensive ground reporting on the migration of workers from the metropolitan cities to villages in Uttar Pradesh. He has also covered some landmark litigations, including the Babri Masjid-Ram temple case and the ongoing Gyanvapi-Kashi Vishwanath temple dispute. Prior to that, he worked on The Indian Express national desk for three years where he was a copy editor. Rehman studied at La Martiniere, Lucknow and then went on to do a bachelor's degree in History from Ramjas College, Delhi University. He also has a Masters degree from the AJK Mass Communication Research Centre, Jamia Millia Islamia. ... Read More

Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi on Saturday said that nothing less than Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation was “acceptable” and that he had heard from government sources that there was discussion in the Union Cabinet that Pradhan could be allocated another ministry, which he said was unacceptable.

Gandhi made these remarks at a press briefing along with All India Students’ Association (AISA) student leaders—Neha, Manish, Aameen—who had fasted for 23 days, along with activist Sonam Wangchuk, demanding Pradhan’s resignation over the NEET-UG exam paper leak.

“The students have three demands, and they are non-negotiable. This is not me saying it. This is the students of India saying it. The first is that the education minister, who is corrupt, incompetent, and misaligned, has to be sacked. There is some talk going on in Mr Modi’s Cabinet. We get information from there these days. There is talk of moving Dharmendra Pradhan from education to some other ministry. This is not acceptable. He is a symbol of corruption and what has happened to the future of India’s children… Dharmendra Pradhan has to be sacked,” Gandhi said.

The Congress MP showed injuries on the leg of one of the student leaders, who was allegedly injured during the July 20 protests in Delhi. “The people who have done this – the organizers and implementers need to be punished and accountable. The third thing is that the leader of this entire machinery – Mr Narendra Modi – has to apologize for what he has done to the students and future of this country,” said Gandhi.

#WATCH | LoP, Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi says, “…Students have three demands, and these are not negotiable demands… The first demand is that the Education Minister, who is corrupt, incompetent, and misaligned, has to be sacked… There’s some talk going on in Mr. Modi’s cabinet… pic.twitter.com/hKoXOQ4SSz

— ANI (@ANI) July 25, 2026

Since July 20, amid raging protests by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) and students in Delhi and across the country, Gandhi has been vocal inside the Parliament complex and outside on the demands being raised by the protesters.

Gandhi told the three students that he was proud of them. “I am proud of every student who is standing there resisting this government…attacking the government,” he added.

On Delhi Metro stations being shut and the government “threatening” the students, Gandhi said: “This is the system attacking them. I told them they shouldn’t worry. No amount of strength, the entire government, every single person from the government can’t move you from there. They can’t do anything. They will not move. They are the future of India. Narendra Modi is India’s past, and the past can never fight the future.”

In a lighter vein, Gandhi asked the students if they needed any medical advice for their injuries. “I am an expert on these things,” he said, smiling.

CPIM-L leader N Sai Balaji, who is a former Jawaharlal Nehru University Students’ Union president for the AISA, was also present with the students.