The students’ protest against the Central government claimed its first victim when after initial reluctance, Union HRD Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Saturday put in his papers. The step is likely to provide the much-needed relief to the ruling dispensation, which appeared completely cornered after thousands of students marched towards Parliament to demand accountability for the NEET paper leaks as well as the dismal state of higher education. The resignation of the minister was at the core of the agitation which was spearheaded by the Cockroach Janata Party and supported by all major Opposition groups.
The resignation indicates that for the first time in the 12 years it has been in power, the NDA government has succumbed to pressure. However, it also shows that Prime Minister Narendra Modi realised that Dharmendra Pradhan’s continuation as the minister was affecting his own credibility and standing, and the time had come to cut down the losses. Regardless of how the Opposition may interpret it, Modi has acted in a pragmatic manner in the larger interests of both his government and his party, which appeared to have differences on Pradhan remaining in his seat when those around him were being transferred out.
It is learnt that even in the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, a senior functionary tried to come to the minister’s rescue ad urged his colleagues to defend him publicly. However, the hesitation on part of many key players reflected the mood within the Sangh and one of the leaders stated that when Champat Rai could not be defended for the bungling in the Ram Temple in Ayodhya, how Pradhan could be saved from the growing public opinion against him.
The government after a high-level meeting chaired by the Prime Minister had taken stock of the situation on Friday night itself. The nationwide students’ stir was eroding the strong voter base of the BJP throughout the country. Social media, which had been one of the strongest instruments of propagating the party line, and setting the political narrative, had been countered very effectively by the protestors. For the first time, it appeared that the BJP was on the receiving end in the war on social media platforms.
Modi is an astute player who understands the dynamics of power play. He knows that in order to bounce back, it was important to allow Pradhan to go. In fact, the delay in securing his resignation had caused enough damage to the image of the government and the party.
There was also realization in several quarters that if Pradhan was allowed to remain where he was, there would be further demands for the resignation of other senior ministers for the violence unleashed by the police and security agencies on the agitating students. BJP co-founder and former HRD Minister, Dr Murali Manohar Joshi had come out openly in support of the students and had condemned the police action against them. He had urged the government to negotiate with the youngsters, because without them, it would be very difficult to achieve the goal of Viksit Bharat. Dr Joshi is not a greenhorn and was obviously concerned over the fallout of the agitation on the future of his party. He is well regarded in academic circles and his views were aimed at the government taking cognizance of the issue. Modi knew that the situation could go out of hand and thus acted swiftly by getting Pradhan out of the way. He did not wish the Opposition to have any opportunity of disrupting Parliament during its second week from Monday.
Although the CJP has been on the forefront of the current agitation, the issue was continuously raised from the very outset by Rahul Gandhi. It is also perhaps for the first time, Rahul has struck to the agenda he had set, and supported it with all his vigour and focus.
The resignation would now have to be followed by the government conceding some other demands like withdrawing of cases against the agitating students, and a detailed inquiry into the police excesses. On another note, it was very unusual to see a totally unprepared Delhi police dealing with the agitators who were sought to be painted as anti-nationals or terrorists by the BJP to begin with. The intelligence agencies also failed to anticipate the extent of the gathering at Jantar Mantar where thousands of students descended on their own to raise the issue of paper leaks and unemployment.
The government must be worried how both the police and the intelligence agencies in this instance, did not measure up to its expectations. Delhi police has always been known for its deft handling of crowd control but was totally at sea. In some ways, it reminded old timers of how it had failed to contain the students during the Mandal agitation in 1990. In fact, by allowing both the anti-Mandal and pro-Mandal groups to simultaneously gather at the Gole Methi Chowk, next to where the current Home Minister resides, and then thrashing those opposed to Mandal, the police had contributed to the fall of the V.P. Singh government. Rajiv Goswami, a student activist set himself on fire, the following day, and the rest is history. Between us.
