"Salute the revolutionary students": MDMK chief Vaiko after Pradhan's resignation

Chennai (Tamil Nadu) [India], July 26 : Following Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation as the Union Education Minister, MDMK chief Vaiko hailed the result as a victory for student protesters, stating that the Modi government has "surrendered" due to the agitation over the NEET-UG 2026 paper leak controversy.
"The student revolution along with the cockroach party revolution threatened the Modi government. They were afraid of future developments, so they have surrendered. We are hopeful that the poisonous plans of Hindutva forces and BJP will not succeed. We salute the revolutionary students and those soldiers who participated in the agitation against NEET," Vaiko told reporters.
Telangana Minister Anasuya Seethakka echoed the sentiment while also accusing the Centre of a "dictatorial approach" against the protestors.
"This decision should have been taken three months ago, but it was not taken at that time. Now, this protest has shown the strength of the students. The protest reached a high level, and the Modi government adopted a dictatorial approach. The students have succeeded in their protest," she said.
A 37-day-long agitation culminated in Dharmendra Pradhan resigning on Saturday afternoon. What started as a satirical social media account after CJI Surya Kant's remarks, the Cockroach Janata Party withdrew its protest from Jantar Mantar after receiving assurance from the government over its demands.
Dharmendra Pradhan resigned from the Council of Ministers amid nationwide protests over the NEET-UG 2026 paper leak.
At Jantar Mantar, youth and student demonstrators redefined dissent during the CJP-led protests by replacing traditional slogans with viral Gen Z slang, meme-inspired signage, and satirical digital culture. After more than a week of protest, the movement witnessed new momentum when Ladakh activist Sonam Wangchuk joined in and became the face of the agitation with his 26-day-long hunger strike.
Six student union leaders also carried out a hunger strike alongside Wangchuk. Three of them were reportedly hospitalised, while the other three broke their fast on July 20.
Jantar Mantar attracted large numbers after Delhi Police took Wangchuk to Safdarjung Hospital from the protest site, while he was later shifted to a private hospital in Gurugram on the Delhi High Court's order.
The agitation peaked on July 20 with the 'Chalo Sansad' march, which was met with police action against protesters. The police action invited criticism from the opposition, while the police maintained that the protest got violent.
The pressure began to increase with nationwide protests after July 20, with many Opposition leaders also stepping in to join the movement. Samajwadi Party MP Dimple Yadav, senior CPI(M) leader Brinda Karat, CPI MP P Sandosh, former Delhi education minister Manish Sisodia and Bhim Army chief Chandrashekhar Azad were amongst the leaders who joined the CJP at Jantar Mantar.
Pradhan submitted his resignation to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, which was later accepted. The announcement, made by Pradhan, prompted a celebration at the protest site.