Resignations of ministers after great pressure and student protests in the country are not a new thing, but every time there has been a story of different political and people’s pressure behind it. Now amidst the NEET paper leak case and the ongoing CJP (Cockroach Janata Party) movement, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan has resigned from his post. After this, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has handed over the additional charge of the Education Ministry to Union Minister Prahlad Joshi.
This development has once again brought to the fore the question as to what pressures, scams and controversies have forced ministers to step down from their posts in India. Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation has come at a time when the anger of students across the country against the paper leak was continuously increasing. CJP had launched an agitation at Jantar Mantar and the organization demanded that the Education Minister step down from the post.
When ministers left office
Meanwhile, the government has also announced to make the law on paper leaks more stringent. However, this is not the first time in the political history of India, when a minister has resigned under pressure or a major movement. Even before this, many ministers had to step down after railway accidents, corruption, farmers’ agitation and massive public protests.
- Dharmendra Pradhan resigns amid NEET paper leak controversy.
- Prahlad Joshi got additional charge of Education Ministry.
- In India, ministers have resigned after many movements in the past.
- Pressure and political accountability many times became the reason for resignation.
Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation
Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan resigned amid the NEET paper leak controversy and increasing protests. After this, Prime Minister Narendra Modi handed over the additional charge of the Education Ministry to Union Minister Prahlad Joshi. The government says that the law will be made more stringent to stop paper leaks, while the opposition is cornering the government on this whole matter. The Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) protest at Jantar Mantar continued for about a month (33 days).
Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation
Lal Bahadur Shastri
The resignation of Lal Bahadur Shastri is considered to be the biggest example of moral accountability in Indian politics. In November 1956, he resigned from the post of Railway Minister after more than 140 people died in the Ariyalur railway accident in Tamil Nadu. Earlier, after the Mahabubnagar train accident, he had also offered to resign, but the then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru did not accept it. After the Ariyalur incident, his resignation was accepted and this incident is still remembered as an example of the moral responsibility of the minister.
Ashwini Kumar
Ashwini Kumar (the then Union Law Minister) resigned from his post on 10 May 2013. His resignation followed the controversy over alleged interference in the CBI’s status report in the Coalgate (coal block allocation) case. He left the post amid strong remarks from the Supreme Court and constant pressure from the opposition. However, while resigning, Ashwini Kumar had said that she had taken this decision not because of any wrongdoing, but to “end unnecessary controversy”.
a king
On 14 November 2010, the then Telecom Minister A Raja resigned from his post amid increasing political pressure over the 2G spectrum allocation scam. He said that on the advice of DMK chief M Karunanidhi, he has resigned to save the government from an uncomfortable situation and to run the Parliament proceedings smoothly. However, Raja denied all the allegations against him and declared himself innocent.
Shivraj Patil
Shivraj Patil was the Home Minister in the Central Government from 2004 to 2008. After the death of 166 people in the terrorist attacks in Mumbai on 26 November 2008, the government was severely criticized for the security arrangements across the country. The opposition and the general public raised questions on the preparations of the Home Ministry and its ability to deal with terrorism. Amidst increasing political pressure, Shivraj Patil resigned from the post of Home Minister on 30 November 2008 and accepted moral responsibility for the security lapse. After his resignation, P. Chidambaram was made the new Home Minister.
Nitish Kumar
The then Railway Minister Nitish Kumar had resigned from his post taking moral responsibility after the Gasal train accident in West Bengal in August 1999. In this horrific accident, Awadh-Assam Express and Brahmaputra Mail collided head-on, in which about 290 people died. After the accident, Nitish Kumar submitted his resignation to the then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and said that he accepts the moral responsibility of this accident. However, later he returned to the Union Cabinet again in the year 2001 as Railway Minister.
T.T. Krishnamachari
The name of the then Finance Minister T.T. Krishnamachari figures prominently in the early major political resignations of independent India. After the Mundra scam that came to light in 1958, he had to resign from his post. This matter came to light when Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) had bought shares of loss-making companies of industrialist Haridas Mundra. This entire matter was investigated by Justice MC Chagla Commission. Questions were raised on the role of the Finance Ministry in the investigation, after which the then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru accepted Krishnamachari’s resignation.
Big resignations of ministers
Keshav Dev Malviya
Keshav Dev Malviya had resigned from the post of the then Petroleum and Chemicals Minister in 1963. He was accused of favoritism and using influence in the matter of getting a mining license for businessman MA Sirajuddin. This controversy had raised a big issue in Parliament and political circles. After the allegations, pressure increased on the government and finally Malviya stepped down taking moral responsibility. However, he had denied the allegations against him.
Lalit Narayan Mishra
Lalit Narayan Mishra, who was the Railway Minister at that time, was accused of financial irregularities and corruption related to the Railways. The opposition continuously raised questions against him inside and outside the Parliament, due to which he had to leave the post of minister. However, later he was again included in the cabinet. After some time, in January 1975, he died in a bomb blast in Samastipur, Bihar.
Pawan Kumar Bansal
In 2013, the then Railway Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal had to resign when his nephew Vijay Singla was arrested for allegedly taking bribe in the name of getting a post in the Railway Board. Although Bansal was not a direct accused in this case, the opposition intensified the demand for fixing moral responsibility. Amidst increasing political pressure, he left the post of Railway Minister.
MJ Akbar
MJ Akbar had resigned from the post of Minister of State for External Affairs in October 2018. During the #MeToo campaign, many female journalists had accused him of sexual harassment and inappropriate behavior. After the allegations came to light, the matter became a topic of discussion at the national level. Akbar initially denied the allegations and even filed a defamation case against a journalist, but amid increasing public and political pressure he resigned as minister.
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