Alia Bhatt & Other Celebs React As Dharmendra Pradhan Resigns As Union Education Minister: Victory Of Students

Dharmendra Pradhan Resigns: Shabana Azmi, Prakash Raj, Alia Bhatt, Zoya Akhtar and many others from the world of showbiz on Saturday hailed the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, calling it a victory for the students who have been relentlessly protesting over the NEET paper leak issue.

Pradhan resigned earlier in the day amid mounting pressure over alleged irregularities in the conduct of several competitive examinations. In his resignation letter, he said he was "disturbed" by the developments of the past 10 days and had submitted his resignation to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Reacting to the minister's resignation, Azmi told PTI, "So proud of our youth. I am truly humbled. Thank you for showing us that our Constitution is our greatest strength." Azmi has been among the most vocal film personalities backing the student movement. Earlier this week, she joined the protest at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi, where she expressed solidarity with the demonstrators and condemned the police crackdown.

The veteran, who was scheduled to join the students' protest in Mumbai but was unable to attend after being diagnosed with swine flu, said the movement should continue until broader reforms are implemented. "It is the first step towards the students' victory. But the resistance must continue till the educational system is overhauled and all demands are met," Azmi added.

The protests, spearheaded by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), began at Jantar Mantar on June 20 over alleged paper leaks and irregularities in the examination system, including NEET. The demonstrations later spread to several cities, with protesters demanding Pradhan's resignation and greater accountability in the education sector.

The agitation intensified earlier this week after police used batons and tear gas to disperse students marching towards Parliament in New Delhi. The crackdown drew widespread criticism and prompted several actors and filmmakers to publicly back the protesters. Raj, who had also joined the protests at Jantar Mantar, shared a post on Instagram, congratulating his "dear cockroaches" as well as activist Sonam Wangchuk, who undertook a prolonged hunger strike in solidarity with the movement.

"Dear Sonam wangchuk sir and every single one who stood by the youth. You Have proved that you can bring a regime down to its knees," he wrote. Bhatt wrote on her Instagram Stories, "Gen Z showed up! The rest is history." Filmmakers Reema Kagti and Akhtar also reacted to the news of Pradhan's resignation. "GEN Z... You are a tsunami of hope," Kagti posted. Akhtar said, "Democracy is a system of government where power belongs to the people."

Actor Priyanka Chopra Jonas also shared a news article announcing the union minister's resignation on her Instagram Stories. Vijay Varma shared a photograph of Pradhan on social media with the caption, "Accha chalta hoon... duaaon mein yaad rakhna," quoting the popular song "Channa Mereya" from "Ae Dil Hai Mushkil".

Comedian-writer Varun Grover congratulated the students and activists who led the movement. "Congratulations India. The seriousness of @Cockroachisback, @SauravDassss, @abhijeet_dipke, @neha_aisa, Aameen, Manish, and the unhinged non-seriousness of the Gen Z memes has made the kings blink today," he wrote.

Vir Das shared a photograph with the caption "Friends" and followed it up with a message applauding the students. "You restored a single word of a tiny little sentence of that book we all read in school and forgot. You beautiful kids. Whatever the hell happens from here, you won. Now hurry up and celebrate," he wrote.

Huma Qureshi, who had also visited Jantar Mantar along with her brother Saqib Saleem, posted "Salute to the youth." Ishaan Khatter said it marks the victory of India and democracy. "The collective empathy of millions washed the apathy of habit. So f***ing proud. THIS is the INDIA I grew up in. Maa tujhe salaam," he wrote on Instagram.

Bhumi Pednekar congratulated Gen Z, saying their "conviction, courage, and belief in the power of change has inspired us". "I truly hope this movement leads to meaningful reform in systems that are broken, not just in education, but across every institution that needs correction. "Now is the time for decisive reform and lasting change. I think for every Indian, whether you are serving office or are an ordinary citizen, the nation, its prosperity, its people and its security should always come first," she said.

Abhishek Banerjee changed his display picture on social media and posted, "DP CHANGE HO GAYI!! A big congratulations to GEN-Z. Also a big reminder that United we stand, divided we fall!!"

Saba Azad posted, "Chaatr ekta zindabad!!!" while Swara Bhasker described the development as a "Huge victory for students."

Malayalam star Parvathy Thiruvothu shared a screenshot of Pradhan's resignation letter and wrote, "Resigned!!!!"

Sonakshi Sinha, filmmaker Vikramaditya Motwane and Twinkle Khanna also shared posts on social media celebrating Pradhan's resignation.