Jairam Ramesh Brands Modi Government ‘One‑Man, Two‑Face’ After Education Ministry Shuffle

On Sunday, Congress MP Jairam Ramesh took to X and vented his frustration over a move that, in his view, underscored the government’s careless handling of education. The move? Giving Union Minister Pralhad Joshi the additional charge of the Ministry of Education after Dharmendra Pradhan stepped down.

Ramesh didn’t mince words. He called the Modi administration a “one‑man, two‑face Government”, accusing it of caring more about political dominance than the genuine concerns of students raging across the country. “Education is a full‑time portfolio at any time,” he wrote, “and Pralhad Joshi already juggles New and Renewable Energy as well as Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution.”

He went on to question the wisdom of piling yet another heavyweight duty onto Joshi’s already stretched docket. “The true ‘niyat’ of the Modi Government is evident in the outpouring of political support the BJP has extended to the discredited ex‑Mantri Pradhan, and the Prime Minister’s own stony silence on the student protests and police brutality,” Ramesh added.

The backdrop to this spat is a wave of student unrest that has swept the nation over the past few weeks. Protesters have been demanding transparency and reforms in competitive examinations, claiming that irregularities have compromised the fairness of the system. In response, Dharmendra Pradhan submitted his resignation, saying he was stepping down to protect students from being exploited by “anti‑national forces”. President Droupadi Murmu accepted the resignation, and the President, on the Prime Minister’s advice, reassigned the Education Ministry to Joshi.

Pralhad Joshi, a Lok Sabha MP from Dharwad, Karnataka, is no stranger to multiple responsibilities. Besides heading the Education Ministry now, he already oversees Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, and New and Renewable Energy. Earlier in his career, he held the coal, mines and parliamentary affairs brief. In a brief post after the appointment, Joshi thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the trust placed in him, pledging humility and duty.

Ramesh’s criticism reflects a broader opposition narrative that the government is more preoccupied with maintaining its political hegemony than addressing the deep‑seated issues in India’s education system. He warned that without a dedicated, full‑time minister, the ministry risks becoming another footnote in a crowded cabinet, leaving student grievances unattended.

The episode adds another layer to the political drama surrounding the ongoing student protests, which have already forced the government to make high‑profile resignations and reshuffle ministries. Whether the new arrangement will appease the demonstrators or simply shift the spotlight remains to be seen.

As the debate continues, stakeholders—from students and teachers to policy analysts—are watching closely, hoping for a more focused and transparent approach to reforming the nation’s education landscape.