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'Rude wake-up call': Shashi Tharoor on Pradhan's resignation over NEET paper leak protests
Tharoor said the resignation of Dharmendra Pradhan as education minister marked an unusual moment for the ruling government.
Congress MP Shashi Tharoor on Friday said the resignation of Dharmendra Pradhan as education minister marked an unusual moment for the government, adding that the ruling party had received a “rude wake-up call”.
“I think the party in power certainly got a pretty rude wake-up call and, as you know, this is a party that has never allowed a minister to resign because of anyone's protest so far. And indeed, the young negotiators for the Cockroach Janata Party said the first time they went and asked for the resignation, they were told the issue was off the table, that the government is not even going to discuss resignation. Yet within a few days, that was the thing they gave,” Tharoor told reporters.
'We have to listen': Tharoor
Tharoor also underlined the importance of engaging with young people, saying political leaders “must listen” to their concerns rather than simply speak to them.
“I believe that in politics, you must listen to the people and engage with them... Ultimately, politics is about the good of the country. The young people are now an increasingly significant segment of our population. As I pointed out, they will be the largest single voting bloc in 2029. It is also in our political interest to listen to what they care about and what they want," Tharoor told news agency PTI.
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Tharoor said he chose not to deliver a speech at Jantar Mantar during the CJP-led protests last month and instead focused on hearing the views of those gathered there.
"So, I am very much inclined to talk to them. Even at Jantar Mantar, I went there only to listen. I did not give any speech at Jantar Mantar. I was simply listening to what they had to say. We have to listen. That is a very important message for all politicians,” Tharoor added.
His remarks came a day after Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi launched an "Ask Me Anything" (AMA) session on Instagram on Thursday.
Rahul Gandhi's AMA on Instagram
Gandhi's outreach to the young people took a Gen Z turn with the launch of an "Ask Me Anything" (AMA) session through Instagram stories on Thursday. AMAs are a popular social media format that allows users to ask questions, with the creator choosing which ones to answer through their stories.
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Launching the session, Gandhi wrote, "Students, Gen-Z ask me anything and I'll reply to as many questions."
The outreach comes amid a noticeable shift in how political leaders are engaging with Gen Z, particularly after the recent student protest at Jantar Mantar that led to the resignation of Dharmendra Pradhan as Union education minister.
