In 1997, Dharmendra Pradhan led a student protest against a paper leak in Odisha: Report

In a major protest led by the Cockroach Janta Party, thousands of supporters and demonstrators have called for Pradhan's resignation.

Updated on: Jul 23, 2026, 20:57:45 IST

By HT News Desk

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Amid widespread calls for the resignation of union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan, multiple reports have surfaced, claiming that the BJP leader once protested against a paper leak in Odisha.

Almost 30 years later, Dharmendra Pradhan is now on the other end of the spectrum. Since the NEET UG paper leak, the education minister has continued to face calls for resignation. (File)

As per a report published by The New Indian Express, Pradhan’s former associates recalled a 1997 protest outside the Odisha secretariat over an alleged paper leak. Track LIVE updates on CJP protest

The associate, identified as Dr Prasant Kumar Rout, Principal of RMD Degree College, Bhubaneswar, first spoke to TNIE after Pradhan assumed charge as the education minister in 2021.

Rout, who was Pradhan’s junior in college, stated that the protest happened around the time he was going to join the BJP. Pradhan was already serving as the national secretary of RSS’ student wing - Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP).

Also Read | 'Your resignation demand next': Abhijeet Dipke's message to PM Modi amid calls to remove Pradhan

“We staged a protest against the Odisha government, in front of the secretariat. Around 1,500 students joined us there,” Rout said, adding that despite the protest being peaceful, the protestors faced police brutality.

“We were quite scared. Pradhan was badly beaten up that time. He had a few fractures too,” he claimed.

The associate added that despite the violence, Pradhan continued to fight against the paper leak, which established him as one of the most prominent student leaders in the state.

HT was unable to verify the report independently.

Turn of the tide

Almost 30 years later, Dharmendra Pradhan is now on the other end of the spectrum. Since the NEET UG paper leak, the education minister has continued to face calls for resignation.

In a major protest led by the Cockroach Janta Party, thousands of supporters and demonstrators have called for his resignation from the post.

Furthermore, opposition parties such as Congress, Aam Aadmi Party, NCP-SP, Shiv Sena (UBT) and many more have also expressed their support for protesting students and called on Pradhan to step down.

As the CJP protests continue, the online outfit has issued a nationwide peaceful protest call. Over the past few days, people from across India have marched out in protest, demanding accountability from the Centre.

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HT News Desk
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