Aaditya Thackeray slams CBSE officials' transfer, demands criminal action
Synopsis
Aaditya Thackeray has turned the CBSE transfer order into a political flashpoint, calling the move a ‘reward' for officials who he says should have faced a criminal court. With the On-Screen marking row unresolved and Andheri's subway flooded after a light shower, the Shiv Sena-UBT MLA widened his attack to Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, the BMC and fuel prices.
Key Takeaways
Aaditya Thackeray attacked the Centre on 3 June over the transfer of CBSE Chairman Rahul Singh and Secretary Himanshu Gupta .
The two officials were moved to the Department of Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare after the On-Screen marking controversy.
Thackeray called the transfer a ‘reward' and said the officials should have been ‘taken to a criminal court'.
He renewed the Opposition's demand for Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan 's resignation.
The MLA also attacked the BMC over Andheri subway flooding after light rainfall and slammed the Centre on rising fuel and household prices.
Shiv Sena-UBT MLA Aaditya Thackeray on Wednesday, 3 June, launched a sharp attack on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led Centre over the transfer of the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) Chairman and Secretary to the Agriculture Ministry, calling the move a ‘reward' and arguing the officials should instead have been ‘taken to a criminal court'. The transfers came in the wake of the On-Screen marking controversy that has triggered widespread anger among students and parents.
Key allegations
Former CBSE Chairman Rahul Singh and former Secretary Himanshu Gupta were reassigned to the Department of Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare a day before Thackeray's remarks. The Shiv Sena-UBT leader claimed the shuffle amounted to a soft landing rather than accountability.
‘This is completely an injustice towards the students and their families. The Chairman and Secretary of CBSE have only been transferred. Where have they been transferred? To the Agriculture Ministry — meaning they are now being moved to worsen the condition of farmers even more,' Thackeray said.
‘Instead of being punished, they have been rewarded through this transfer. They should have been punished and taken to a criminal court,' he added in reported comments.
Renewed call for Pradhan's resignation
Thackeray reiterated the Opposition's demand for the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, arguing that ministerial responsibility could not be sidestepped by reshuffling subordinate officials.
‘When will Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan resign, since the entire responsibility lies with him? Nothing will be achieved by creating chaos within his own Ministry,' he said.
Attack on BMC over Andheri flooding
The MLA also took aim at the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), currently under the BJP-led MahaYuti dispensation, after the Andheri subway was flooded following light rainfall in Mumbai.
‘The BJP Mayor wanted to travel in red beacon cars. They talk about all kinds of controversies and issues from around the world, but they do not talk about Mumbai,' Thackeray said. ‘Whatever claims have been made by them, all those have been exposed. They could not even save one subway during a light rainfall, so how will they save Mumbai?'
Fuel prices and ‘Vishwaguru' jibe
On the rising cost of fuel and essentials, Thackeray said the BJP-led NDA ‘will not be forgiven', accusing the Centre of inaction. ‘Those who wanted to become a Vishwaguru are now silent. The situation is getting worse, but this government is sitting helpless and no work is being done. Whether it is gas, diesel, petrol, or daily household items, prices are continuously rising,' he said in reported remarks.
What's next
The Opposition is expected to press the demand for Pradhan's resignation in the coming days, even as parents' associations continue to seek answers on the On-Screen marking row. The Centre has not yet indicated whether any further action will follow the transfers.
Point of View
A charge that resonates with parents bruised by the On-Screen marking row. Yet the demand for criminal prosecution sits uneasily with the absence of any formal inquiry findings; this is rhetoric ahead of evidence. The deeper question the Opposition is not pressing hard enough is structural: why CBSE governance permits leadership churn without independent review of exam-process failures. Until that mechanism exists, every controversy will end the same way — a transfer order, a press conference, and no closure for students.
NationPress
5 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why was the CBSE Chairman transferred?
Former CBSE Chairman Rahul Singh and Secretary Himanshu Gupta were transferred to the Department of Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare following the On-Screen marking controversy. The Centre has not publicly detailed the reasons beyond the routine transfer order.
What did Aaditya Thackeray say about the transfer?
Aaditya Thackeray called the transfer a ‘reward' rather than punishment and said the officials should have been ‘taken to a criminal court'. He argued the move was an injustice to students and their families.
Is the Opposition demanding Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation?
Yes. Thackeray reiterated the Opposition's demand that Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan resign, arguing that ministerial responsibility for the CBSE controversy lies squarely with him.
What did Thackeray say about the Andheri subway flooding?
Thackeray blamed the BJP-led BMC for the Andheri subway flooding after light rainfall, saying the civic body had failed in basic monsoon preparedness. He questioned how the administration could ‘save Mumbai' if it could not protect a single subway.
