Dharmendra Pradhan resigns LIVE: Amit Shah says ‘students more important than positions’; police clear protest site

Union cabinet ministers JP Nadda and Jitender Singh with CJP leaders Ashutosh Ranka and Sourbh Dass during the joint press conference after their meeting.

Dharmendra Pradhan resigns LIVE: Dharmendra Pradhan resigned on Saturday, bowing to mounting pressure after weeks of nationwide protests over the alleged NEET paper leak. His resignation comes after sustained demonstrations led by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), student organisations and opposition parties, which had made his removal from the Union Cabinet the central demand of the agitation.

Entry gates for all metro stations are now open, DMRC said. The Internet is back in the Jantar Mantar area as the CJP called off their protest.

Activist Sonam Wangchuk on Friday hit back at critics questioning his decision to end his 26-day hunger strike, asking why he needed a "character certificate" for his commitment to the students' movement. His remarks came even as the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) held a second round of talks with the Centre, which has reportedly given written assurances on some of the protesters' key demands.

Union Minister JP Nadda had said that the Centre will hold the third round of talks with the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) on Sunday afternoon after discussions within the government on the protesters' demands.

Despite Wangchuk ending his indefinite fast shortly after midnight on Thursday, the atmosphere at Jantar Mantar remained charged. The protest site continued to draw large crowds, with people waiting between 50 and 100 minutes in a serpentine queue stretching up to Janpath Metro station on Tolstoy Marg. As reported by HT earlier, delegations of lawyers, farmer unions, NGOs and groups from neighbouring states arrived through the day carrying banners and placards in support of the agitation.

Meanwhile, 18 metro stations in Delhi will remain closed on Saturday as authorities tighten security amid the ongoing protests.

Wangchuk responds to criticism

In a video message shared on social media, Wangchuk dismissed allegations that he had compromised with the government by ending his fast.

"After 26 days of fasting for the sake of students, losing 11 kilograms of body weight in which I have also lost muscle mass and my organs and brain reached the verge of irreversible damage, and doing all this in the scorching heat of Delhi after coming from the bitter cold of Ladakh, do I have to seek a character certificate from anyone about how sacred my fast was, about whose hands I broke it at, or whether I made a deal or not?... Shame on a country that produces such minds, from which such vile thoughts spring.”

The educationist and activist reiterated that there was no deal with the government. He said his foremost concern during negotiations was ensuring that students participating in the protests were protected from violence and legal action.

He also explained why he did not insist on Union education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation during the talks, saying preventing cases against protesters was the immediate priority. Wangchuk added that he believed Pradhan would eventually resign.

Why Wangchuk ended the 26-day hunger strike

Wangchuk said he agreed to end the fast only after the Centre provided written assurances and because he feared an imminent crackdown on protesters.

"Last night around midnight, I was told the ministers had agreed to give the assurance in writing. I was in a hurry because the situation in Delhi was such; there was apprehension that a major crackdown could happen. I was watching reports and was reminded of September 24, 2025, when police and CRPF personnel mercilessly fired at the youth of Ladakh. I was afraid something similar could happen here. I felt that if I ended my fast and appealed for peace, perhaps the situation could be diffused," he said.

The activist had been on an indefinite hunger strike since June 28 after joining the CJP-led agitation demanding accountability over alleged irregularities in competitive examinations, reforms in the education system and the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.

CJP says government responded positively

Following a second round of discussions with Union ministers JP Nadda and Jitendra Singh, CJP leaders said the Centre had shown "significant in-principle agreement" on several demands while further talks would continue, reported news agency ANI.

CJP chief spokesperson Saurav Das said the party placed four key demands before the government, including compensation for families of students who allegedly died by suicide because of the examination system and withdrawal of FIRs against peaceful protesters.

Nadda, according to the CJP, told the delegation that another round of discussions would be held.

Why are people protesting at the Jantar Mantar?

The protests, led by the Cockroach Janta Party, are centred on allegations of irregularities in the NEET examination, demands for reforms in the examination system, accountability over the alleged paper leak and the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.

CJP's key demands

- Resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.

- ₹1 crore compensation for families of NEET aspirants who died by suicide.

- No prosecution of peaceful protesters.

- Prosecution of police officials allegedly involved in excesses against protesters.