Indian Parliament: BJP chants 'Pradhan Zindabad', Opposition counters with 'Paper Chor'

Opposition MPs shouted slogans such as 'Chor Chor, Paper Chor' and hit out at the ruling dispensation for felicitating Dharmendra Pradhan

Updated - July 27, 2026 03:27 pm IST — New Delhi PTI

BJP leader Dharmendra Pradhan, who resigned as Union Education Minister following students' protests over the NEET row, was welcomed by some BJP leaders in the Parliament complex on Monday (July 27, 2026) with a traditional cap and stole amid slogans like 'Pradhan Zindabad'.

Opposition MPs, at the same time, shouted slogans like 'Chor Chor, Paper Chor' and hit out at the ruling dispensation for felicitating Mr. Pradhan.

Opposition Reactions

Congress leader Pawan Khera said:

"These are the same people who even welcomed the rapists in the Bilkis Bano case, so let's leave them aside. Pradhan is an RSS hero because he implemented the RSS agenda through the education ministry. That's why he's their hero. But as far as Pradhan is concerned, people now know his true self as we can see on social media and on roads."

Hitting out at the government, Congress deputy leader in the Lok Sabha Gaurav Gogoi alleged that the BJP government is "not serious" about reforming the education system and termed the proposed anti-paper leak legislation a "cosmetic Bill".

"I see that this government is not serious about reforming the Indian education system. Therefore, they have brought a cosmetic Bill... we already know that a main culprit of a previous scam was let go by the court. Because sufficient evidence was not gathered, so what use of this fast-track amendment Bill? When this BJP government is hell-bent upon protecting those who are indulging in all this kind of scams," Mr. Gogoi said.

Criticism of High-Powered Committee

Mr. Gogoi also questioned the government's announcement of a new high-powered committee on education reforms, saying a similar panel headed by K. Radhakrishnan had been constituted two years ago but "nothing happened" and it remained "only on paper".

"Secondly, Prime Minister Modi himself is touting this new high-powered committee as if it's a major reform. But just two years ago, there was another committee tasked with the same objective under K. Radhakrishnan. Nothing happened, just mere on paper and for them even today, Pradhan is a successful Education Minister."

"So clearly, the BJP government and Prime Minister Modi do not want to reform the Indian education system," he said.

PM Modi's Announcement

PM Modi on Sunday (July 26, 2026) announced the constitution of a high-powered task force headed by Infosys co-founder Nandan Nilekani to recommend reforms to make the exam system leakproof.

Allegations on Police Action

Referring to the police action against student protesters on July 20, Mr. Gogoi alleged that the government wanted to "protect" Home Minister Amit Shah and claimed that students in BJP-ruled States were facing FIRs and arrests, creating "a fear of reprisal". He reiterated the opposition's demand that the Home Minister make a statement in Parliament on the police action.

"...They don't want to remove the RSS triangle hole on the Indian education system. They don't want reform and for us, our purpose remains the same."