BJP leader and Delhi minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa has launched a scathing attack on the Aam Aadmi Party and Arvind Kejriwal over the alleged paper leak incidents in Punjab.
Published: July 26, 2026, 1:08 PM IST
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Aam Aadmi Party convenor Arvind Kejriwal
New Delhi: In a major development, Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Saturday resigned from his position, saying it is not a matter of “individual prestige” for him and he wanted to prevent anti-national forces from exploiting the situation at Jantar Mantar and across the country. In a letter posted on his X account, Pradhan said he has taken responsibility from day one for the NEET paper leak and has sent his resignation to Prime Minister Narendra Modi as he is disturbed to see the series of events that have unfolded in the last 10 days.
Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) hailed it as the first victory of their 36-day agitation. However, CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke said their agitation will continue until the government fulfils their other demands as well. The CJP has been demanding Rs 1 crore to the families of students who died by suicide over the NEET paper leak, no legal action against protesters, and punitive measures against police personnel who committed “atrocities” on protesters.
The resignation has now begun to have a visible impact on Punjab’s political landscape as opposition parties have started targeting the Bhagwant Mann government following the paper leak and examination controversies. The Congress, Shiromani Akali Dal, and the BJP have intensified their demand for the resignation of Punjab Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains and Health Minister Balbir Singh.
Pradhan’s resignation has given opposition parties an opportunity to argue that if the central government can remove one of its ministers over accountability, why shouldn’t the Punjab government do the same?
Four Paper Leaks in Punjab; Congress Demands Resignation
Punjab Congress Committee president Amarinder Singh Raja Warring demanded that, just as accountability was fixed at the national level over paper leaks, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains should also resign from their posts.
According to Raja Warring, during the Aam Aadmi Party government’s tenure, several examination papers in Punjab were leaked, including the Pharmacy recruitment exam, the Class 12 English board exam, and the Group-B recruitment examination.
He further claimed that paper leak cases had also surfaced in the Naib Tehsildar recruitment exam, the Agriculture Officer recruitment exam, and the Pharmacist recruitment examination conducted by Baba Farid University of Health Sciences.
He said that whenever young aspirants protested against these incidents, the Bhagwant Mann government responded with police action instead of addressing their grievances. He argued that if Dharmendra Pradhan could resign over issues related to examination controversies, then Punjab Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains and Health Minister Balbir Singh should also step down.
The Punjab Congress chief also recalled that senior Aam Aadmi Party leader Manish Sisodia had once stated that if examination papers were leaked in Punjab, the minister responsible would have to resign. Warring pointed out that six months had passed since the alleged leak of the Punjab Group-B examination paper.
Before that, four paper leak incidents, including the Class 12 English examination and the Pharmacist recruitment exam, had already occurred. However, he alleged that no proper investigation had been conducted and no one had been held accountable.
Raja Warring warned that if the Education Minister does not resign, the Congress will launch street protests in Punjab, similar to the demonstrations held in Delhi.
BJP Targets Kejriwal Over Alleged Punjab Paper Leaks
BJP leader and Delhi minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa has launched a scathing attack on the Aam Aadmi Party and Arvind Kejriwal over the alleged paper leak incidents in Punjab. The minister has demanded the resignation of Punjab Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains.
Accusing Arvind Kejriwal of adopting a double standard, Sirsa questioned why leaders who protest over such issues in Delhi have remained silent about the future of students in Punjab.
Sirsa also called on the Punjab government to take strict action against those responsible for the alleged paper leaks in the state. In addition, he reminded CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke of a previous promise, saying that Dipke had claimed he would also raise his voice if paper leaks occurred in Punjab. Sirsa said the time had come for them to honor that commitment by going to Punjab and fighting for the rights of the state’s youth as well.
