Thackerays Hail Education Minister’s Resignation as a Victory for Students

On Saturday, two of Maharashtra’s most outspoken politicians – Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena leader Raj Thackeray – gathered at a joint press conference to celebrate what they called a watershed moment for the nation’s students.

Both men hailed the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, saying the move was less about a cabinet shuffle and more about a “student victory.” Uddhav, in his typical florid style, likened the episode to “a cockroach making a dictator bow down,” while Raj congratulated the youth for dragging the government “back onto the ground.”

The two leaders also used the platform to salute CJP (Cockroach Janata Party) head Abhijeet Dipke and the thousands of youngsters and parents who have kept the agitation alive. “The country has been restless for days, and we finally see why,” Uddhav said, praising the protesters for exposing what he called the BJP’s “hooliganism.”

Beyond the applause, the Thackerays pressed the centre to drop the slew of criminal cases lodged against student demonstrators. “Power does not give licence to trample on dissent,” Uddhav warned, adding that Amit Shah should answer for any police‑officer complaints lodged by the youths.

In a show of resolve, Uddhav announced that the “Yuva Shakti” march scheduled for Sunday would go ahead as planned, describing it as “an important step to display the strength of the youth.” Raj echoed the sentiment, saying the gathering at Shivaji Park would be a celebration of the youngsters’ achievement and pledging his party’s full support to Dipke’s next moves.

Both leaders also raised concerns about the police response to the protests. Uddhav listed a litany of alleged excesses – water‑cannon blasts, nail‑studded sticks, pellet‑gun fire, and even women being struck by uniformed officers. He urged the Home Minister to explain why such “civil‑dress” police, often without nameplates, resorted to tear‑gas and electrocution of barricades.

Raj, meanwhile, took a moment to thank the Mumbai Police for their assistance in ensuring the safety of Sunday’s march, a gesture that underscored the delicate balancing act between dissent and order.

The Thackerays’ statements arrived as a delegation of the Cockroach Janata Party met Union ministers JP Nadda and Jitendra Singh at the Constitution Club for a third round of talks. The talks follow Pradhan’s resignation, which he tendered to Prime Minister Narendra Modi after weeks of nationwide outrage over examination paper leaks and a 26‑day hunger strike led by activist Sonam Wangchuk at Jantar Mantar.

While the minister’s exit is being hailed as a win, the CJP warned that its agitation would continue until all its demands are met – including compensation for families of students who have taken their own lives over exam‑related pressures, withdrawal of cases against protestors, and accountability for police officers accused of using excessive force.

In the background, the central government is gearing up to introduce a tough anti‑paper‑leak law, envisaging Special Fast‑Track Courts, a dedicated Special Task Force and other measures designed to curb examination malpractice across India.