Rayat Kranti Sanghatana president Sadabhau Khot on Tuesday, 21 July sparked a sharp political controversy in Maharashtra after he labelled protesters from the Congress Janata Party (CJP) as 'terrorists' and firmly rejected calls for Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation over the paper leak row. The remarks, made in Mumbai, drew swift condemnation from across the political spectrum.

What Khot Said

Khot alleged that the paper leak crisis was the result of a deliberate conspiracy and maintained that those responsible had already been apprehended and were under investigation. He argued that Pradhan had no direct role in the leaks and had proactively ordered a probe.

'The INDIA Alliance and Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) are trying to create a terror-like situation. The government should not accept the Education Minister's resignation at all. We have Narendra at the Centre, Devendra in the State, and Dharmendra in Education. The government should answer these terrorists through democratic means,' Khot said.

Cross-Party Backlash

Congress Legislature Party leader Vijay Wadettiwar sharply rebuked Khot, accusing him of betraying farmers in his pursuit of power and now branding students seeking justice as terrorists. 'In Delhi and across the country, youth have taken to the streets against the paper leak. Violent attacks are being carried out on them. If this youth still seems like terrorists to you, we pity your power-hungry nature,' Wadettiwar said.

Shiv Sena MLA Bacchu Kadu called on Khot to retract his remarks immediately. 'Sadabhau Khot's statement is completely wrong. He needs to correct his statement and withdraw it immediately. Agitation and protest have been the soul of this country; our nation gained independence through agitation,' Kadu said.

Government and Civil Society React

State Minister Shambhuraj Desai drew a distinction between legitimate protest and violence. 'Protesters cannot be called terrorists. Even though they are students, resorting to stone-pelting is not right,' he said, underscoring that while the right to protest is guaranteed in a democracy, violence and stone-pelting remain unacceptable.

Shetkari Sanghatana founder Raju Shetti condemned Khot's remarks and alleged that individuals linked to the paper leak cases were closely associated with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). 'Students are simply demanding an end to malpractices. Pradhan should resign on moral grounds; if not, then PM Modi should resign,' Shetti said.

Social activist Anjali Damania said Khot's statement reflected an arrogance of power. 'A person who doesn't even know the meaning of the word 'education' and who has forgotten the spirit of agitation shouldn't even be interviewed for a reaction,' she said.

The Protest That Triggered the Row

The controversy follows a CJP-organised protest at Jantar Mantar in Delhi on Monday that turned violent after the party issued a call to march towards Parliament. Delhi Police resorted to a lathi charge on demonstrators, leaving several severely injured, according to reports. The incident has since escalated political tensions nationwide, with particularly strong reactions emerging from Maharashtra's political circles.

With the paper leak controversy continuing to grip the country, the debate over accountability — and the limits of protest — is set to intensify in the days ahead.