Punjab Congress President Amarinder Singh Raja Warring on Saturday, 25 July described the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan as the 'victory of the youth of the country against a corrupt and an arrogant regime,' while simultaneously demanding that Punjab Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains step down over repeated paper leaks in the state. The remarks came amid nationwide protests pressing for accountability over exam irregularities that had rocked the Union government.

Congress Hails Pradhan's Exit, Turns Spotlight on Punjab

Warring made clear that the Congress would not limit its campaign to the Centre. He said the party would hold both Minister Bains and Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann accountable for what he described as repeated paper leaks under the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government in Punjab. 'The fight will go on in Punjab,' Warring asserted, drawing a pointed parallel between the two cases.

This comes amid a broader pattern of opposition parties using the exam-irregularity crisis as a dual-front attack — targeting both the Centre and rival state governments. Notably, Punjab has seen its own series of paper leak controversies in recent years, lending the Congress charge added political weight.

Rahul Gandhi's Role Highlighted

Warring credited Congress leader Rahul Gandhi with forcing the government's hand, saying the Union government was 'shaken the day Rahul Gandhi led the protest march right at the doorsteps of the Prime Minister's residence.' He said Gandhi had 'set a great example' by standing with students against what he called a 'dictatorial and authoritarian regime.'

Priyanka Gandhi Vadra Reacts

Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said the youth 'cannot be silenced' by anybody, adding that she got 'a little emotional' upon hearing the news of Pradhan's resignation. She reflected on the past decade, saying: 'Many times over the last 10 or 12 years, I have asked myself, When are our young people going to wake up? Look at what is being done to our country. The RSS is filling the entire education system. Every post, every Vice-Chancellor, the ideology of our forefathers has been systematically broken down.'

She added: 'Force has been used against young people, against anybody who raises their voice in protest. So today I am very happy that the youth of our country have spoken and nobody can ever dare to silence their voice.'

What Comes Next

With Dharmendra Pradhan having stepped down, political pressure is now expected to intensify on the AAP government in Punjab. The Congress has signalled it will sustain its campaign at the state level, keeping both Harjot Singh Bains and Bhagwant Mann in its crosshairs. Whether the AAP government responds — or holds its ground — will shape the next phase of the paper leak accountability debate in Punjab.