Govt proposed portfolio change for Pradhan, CJP refused: Report

New Delhi: Before Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan submitted his resignation to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on July 25, the Centre had offered to shift him to a different portfolio as a compromise with the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP), but the student-led outfit refused and held firm on its demand for his resignation, The Indian Express reported.

The government had been hopeful that the CJP and student leaders spearheading the agitation would agree to Pradhan being divested of the education portfolio while continuing as a Cabinet minister, top sources told IE.

JP Nadda and Jitendra Singh, the two ministers who represented the government in negotiations with the CJP, had told the protesters that a new Education Minister could be appointed and all other subsidiary demands of the CJP met, if the protest was called off.

“The government had made that proposal. But the protesters were adamant that Pradhan should resign,” IE quoted a government source as saying.

Sources in the CJP confirmed to IE that the ministers had indicated a reshuffle was possible, while noting that Cabinet changes were the Prime Minister’s prerogative. “However, the CJP was not ready to accept it,” a CJP source said.

Key demands already conceded

Government sources told IE that the CJP’s two principal demands, withdrawal of first information reports (FIR) related to the protests and compensation for families of NEET aspirants who died by suicide following examination leaks and cancellations, had already been accepted before talks hit a wall.

“We had also initiated the procedure to provide adequate compensation to the families,” the source said, adding that FIR withdrawals in such cases were standard practice except where serious damage to public property was involved.

The prolonged delay in establishing back-channel communication had, however, hardened the CJP’s position. With public pressure mounting and multiple rounds of talks having failed, the government eventually conceded to the protesters’ core demand.

Pradhan announced his resignation on July 25 afternoon, following which the CJP officially called off its 36-day agitation in the national capital.