Bhubaneswar, June 8

Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) president Bhakta Charan Das today intensified the party's demand for the resignation of union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, holding him accountable for repeated examination-related irregularities and alleging a failure to address systemic shortcomings in the education sector.

Addressing a press conference in Sambalpur, Das charged that the union Ministry of Education, particularly during Pradhan's tenure, had repeatedly failed to effectively tackle issues such as examination paper leaks and other irregularities. He argued that accepting responsibility and stepping down would have helped the union Minister to preserve his political credibility.

"The Congress will continue its peaceful agitation until Dharmendra Pradhan resigns," Das declared, saying that the party would sustain its campaign against what it described as persistent failures in the education system.

He warned that if the government does not formulate a permanent mechanism to prevent recurring incidents such as examination paper leaks, the Students' Congress would launch a stronger statewide agitation.

Referring to the student-youth convention scheduled to be held in Sambalpur on June 10, Das said the event would be historic, given the region's long tradition of student movements and public struggles. He said the convention would provide a platform for nurturing future political leaders and mobilising students around issues affecting education and employment.

Das expressed confidence that the participation of Kanhaiya Kumar would help energise and reorganise the student community, encouraging young people to engage in principled and issue-based movements.

Launching a broader attack on the BJP-led government, Das alleged that the country's education system had deteriorated significantly and claimed that even the appointment of university vice-chancellors was being influenced by the RSS.

Former MLA Santosh Singh Saluja reiterated the Congress demand for Pradhan's resignation and said the party would continue to oppose changes in the National Education Policy that it believes are detrimental to students.
Rajgangpur MLA C. S. Rajan Ekka said the Congress was fighting to safeguard the future of students and youth and was discharging its responsibility as a constructive opposition. He also appealed to the media to support efforts aimed at highlighting issues affecting the younger generation.

NSUI leader and OPCC spokesperson Bibhuti Mahapatra called upon people across western Odisha to join the campaign, oppose the government's education policies, and support the demand for Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation in the interest of students and the nation's future.

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