Paperman Media (Bhubaneswar)- The Biju Janata Dal (BJD) has strongly reacted to the grand welcome accorded today to former Union Education Minister Shri Dharmendra Pradhan, who recently resigned from his post, during his visit to Odisha by his supporters. BJD stated that the student agitation held at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi over the NEET examination question paper leak received support from across the country. As a result, Shri Dharmendra Pradhan was compelled to resign. According to the BJD, the grand welcome extended to him is merely an attempt to conceal his failures.
Addressing a press conference at Sankha Bhawan today, BJD Spokesperson and Media Coordinator Dr. Lenin Mohanty, President of Biju Yuva Janata Dal Shri Chinmay Sahu, and President of Biju Chhatra Janata Dal Ms. Ipsita Sahu described the welcome programme as entirely sponsored and highlighted Shri Dharmendra Pradhan's failures.
Dr. Lenin Mohanty stated that the NEET examination question paper had been leaked three times in the last five years, while hundreds of other examination papers had also been leaked. Similarly, after the BJP came to power in Odisha, as many as 22 examination papers have reportedly been leaked. Following the leak of this year's NEET question paper, there was widespread outrage among candidates and their parents. Twenty-one candidates, devastated after the question paper leak, allegedly died by suicide. This triggered widespread resentment among students across the country, leading to a protest at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi. After the agitation continued for nearly one month and gained increasing nationwide support from students, Shri Dharmendra Pradhan was compelled to resign. This exposed the failure of both Shri Dharmendra Pradhan and the BJP-led Central Government. However, to safeguard his public image, he is now organising such sponsored welcome programmes.
Shri Chinmay Sahu stated that after student protests gained nationwide support, public opinion turned against the Central Government. Initially, the Government ignored the agitation, but later, realising the overwhelming public support in favour of the movement, it came under pressure. Consequently, Shri Dharmendra Pradhan was forced to resign. However, after his resignation, sponsored felicitation programmes are now being organised with the sole objective of protecting his image. In the same manner, after Shri Dharmendra Pradhan arrived in Odisha today, he was accorded a grand welcome by his supporters.
Ms. Ipsita Sahu stated that during the student agitation, the primary demand of the protesters was the resignation of Shri Dharmendra Pradhan. However, he did not resign for nearly three weeks. It was only after the agitation intensified that he was compelled to step down. She said this amounted to the Central Government bowing before the student movement. She further alleged that the present sponsored welcome and felicitation programme has been organised only to protect Shri Dharmendra Pradhan's image. The people will not accept this attempt by the BJP. She also pointed out that several key leaders of the Odisha BJP were absent from today's welcome programme, which, according to her, reflects the internal factionalism within the State BJP.
