Did Cockroach Janta Party's 'Chalo Sansad' 2.0 threat trigger Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation? What we know so far

Amid anger over the NEET paper leak row, Dharmendra Pradhan resigned as Education Minister on Saturday after having twice earlier offered to step down during the student protests, sources told India Today TV. On both occasions, the government rejected his offer and asked him to continue, saying the focus should remain on fixing systemic issues and carrying forward education reforms.

Sources said Pradhan again offered to resign at a high-level meeting of senior ministers on July 20, but his resignation was declined once more. Government sources said the leadership felt that "a minister's resignation is the easiest option - it is like walking away from responsibility. The Modi government believes in fixing problems rather than running away from them."

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According to sources, the government's assessment changed after the second round of talks with the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), when the outfit threatened another large-scale march similar to the July 20 'Chalo Sansad' protest. The government was already concerned after several students were injured in police action during that demonstration, while security agencies warned that anti-national elements were trying to exploit the unrest.

Sources said digital monitoring detected more than 400 social media accounts, including around 100 Instagram accounts allegedly operated from Pakistan, amplifying the protests in India. Preliminary analysis suggested some of these accounts had earlier been active during Operation Sindoor and had spread anti-India narratives, misinformation and propaganda targeting Indian security forces.

Sources also said Delhi Police's Facial Recognition System identified around 400 people with criminal records in and around the Jantar Mantar protest site between July 20 and July 24, with some suspects also linked to the July 20 vandalism. Ahead of the final round of talks with the CJP, the government concluded that national interest and public order had to take precedence. To help defuse tensions around Jantar Mantar and prevent further escalation, Pradhan resigned. President Droupadi Murmu accepted his resignation, and hours later Cabinet Minister Pralhad Joshi was given additional charge of the Education Ministry.

Pradhan's resignation has also triggered a fresh political confrontation in Punjab. The BJP, Congress and Shiromani Akali Dal have demanded the resignation of Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains and Health Minister Balbir Singh over alleged paper leaks and other examination irregularities. AAP has said such cases were investigated and action taken where wrongdoing was established, but it has not responded specifically to the latest demand for ministerial resignations.

Punjab Congress chief Amarinder Singh Raja Warring welcomed Pradhan's resignation and called it a victory for students' protests. He demanded that Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and Bains also accept responsibility, alleging leaks in several examinations during the AAP government's tenure. BJP leader Manjinder Singh Sirsa and SAD MP Harsimrat Kaur Badal also demanded action and sought the resignation of Bains, with the SAD additionally seeking Balbir Singh's resignation.

The row comes as Punjab prepares for next year's Assembly polls, with the Opposition seeking to draw parallels between the Centre's handling of the NEET controversy and AAP's response to allegations in the state.