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New Delhi: Former Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Monday broke his silence after stepping down from the post amid the NEET paper leak controversy, describing himself as a “street fighter” and saying he is not an “AC room activist”.

Pradhan made the remarks while interacting with senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh during the Monsoon Session of Parliament. The two leaders were seen having a conversation in the Parliament corridor, where they recalled their political journeys and past associations.

Pradhan Responds With ‘Street Fighter’ Note

During the interaction, Jairam Ramesh mentioned Pradhan's political journey and his rise in public life. Responding to the conversation, Pradhan said, “Nothing happens. I’ma street fighter, not an AC room activist.”

The comment marked his first public reaction after resigning as Union Education Minister weeks following protests over alleged irregularities in the NEET-UG examination system.

Defends Government’s Action on NEET Issue

Addressing the controversy, Pradhan said the government acted quickly after allegations of paper leaks emerged. He highlighted that the investigation was handed over to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and that a re-examination was conducted.

Pradhan said he remained committed to protecting the future of deserving students and would not allow the examination system to be affected by what he described as “exam mafia”.

Resignation Amid Student Protests

Pradhan resigned from the Education Ministry on Saturday after prolonged protests led by students over alleged examination irregularities.

In his resignation message, he thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for giving him the opportunity to serve as Education Minister and reiterated his commitment towards education reforms.

He said his decision was aimed at preventing the situation from being exploited and ensuring that students could focus on their academic careers without facing further difficulties.

New Education Minister Takes Charge

Following Pradhan’s resignation, Union Minister Pralhad Joshi was given additional responsibility of the Education Ministry.

Meanwhile, the government has moved forward with measures aimed at strengthening the examination system, including the introduction of an anti-paper leak law and the formation of a committee headed by Infosys co-founder Nandan Nilekani to recommend reforms for the National Testing Agency (NTA).