Kharge seeks Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation over 'terrorist' jibe at protesters

New Delhi,UPDATED: Jun 24, 2026 17:01 IST

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Wednesday attacked Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over his reported "terrorist" remark on protesting students and said he would have to resign. Kharge linked the row to the NEET paper leak issue and said students across the country would raise their voice.

The remarks also drew criticism from CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke, who shared a video clip on X and accused Pradhan of calling the group a "B team of terrorists" while students were seeking justice over the deaths linked to the exam controversy.

Kharge said, "Ninety paper leaks have occurred, the futures of millions of students have been ruined, 20 children have taken their own lives due to the NEET paper leak, families have been devastated...." He said the Education Minister of the Modi government was "clinging to his chair" and, while giving interviews, was calling the "students' echo" that of "terrorists".

The Congress chief also said, "The country has not forgotten that Prime Minister Modi himself, in Parliament, had insultingly labelled the farmer benefactors 'andolan-jeevi' and 'parjeevi' (parasites). Whoever questions this government is called an anti-national." In a post on X, he added, "#ChhatronKiGoonj will echo loudly across the entire country; Modi's Minister Pradhan will have to resign."

Dipke said, "Imagine what Pradhan said. While we are demanding justice for students who committed suicide, he said CJP is a B team of terrorists. The education minister is calling the youth of this country terrorists."

He added, "Sir, we are not terrorists. We don't need a certificate of patriotism from people like you who are responsible for the deaths of innocent students." In another post on X, he said, "Pradhan calls us terrorists. But the irony is that he is the one with the blood of more than 17 students on his hands."

The exchange followed criticism of Pradhan over his alleged remarks on the students' protest, with Kharge and Dipke both linking the issue to the NEET paper leak controversy and demanding accountability from the education minister.

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