With a beleaguered Dharmendra Pradhan resigning as the Union Education Minister, which was one of the central demands of the protesting students and youth as well as the Opposition parties, the signals emanating from a visibly elated INDIA bloc Saturday was that they would call off their siege of Parliament Monday, but will continue to raise issues related to reforms in the education sector and alleged police high-handedness against the protesters.Pradhan’s resignation has come as a shot in the arm for the Opposition, which was reeling under splits and floor-crossings at the beginning of the Monsoon Session. Within a week, the narrative, Opposition leaders say, has swung completely and the government has been pushed to the back foot.AdvertisementBut the Opposition, particularly the Congress, is keen not to be seen as rushing forward to take credit for Pradhan’s exit or the government’s “capitulation”. In fact, the Congress leadership, led by Leader of the Opposition (LoP) in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, made it a point to give the credit for Pradhan’s resignation to the students and youth without taking the name of the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP).The Opposition had been in disarray since April when they unitedly forced the defeat of the 131st Constitution Amendment Bill which was brought by the government to advance the rollout of the women quota law and increase the Lok Sabha seats. Since then, 37 Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha MPs from four non-NDA parties have defected to the ruling BJP-led coalition – making it the largest floor crossing from the Opposition to the Treasury benches in Parliament since the enactment of the anti-defection law in 1985.Must Read | Pralhad Joshi to take charge as education minister after Dharmendra Pradhan resignsWith the government seemingly preparing to bring back the same constitutional amendment Bill, that test still awaits the Opposition. But as on Saturday, the mood in the Opposition camp appeared celebratory. Interestingly, the Congress leadership was preparing for a long-drawn fight believing that the government is unlikely to seek the resignation of Pradhan.AdvertisementAsked whether the Opposition would take part in the discussion on an amended Bill that the government is set to bring in Parliament Monday, which provides for more stringent punishment for those involved in exam paper leaks, senior Congress leader K C Venugopal told The Indian Express: “Certainly, now that a key demand has been met… I understand that two or three other related demands have also been fulfilled. In any case, we (Opposition parties) will hold a positive discussion regarding the Bill aimed at establishing a flawless educational system. We will deliberate on it in the meeting and reach a decision.”Sources in the Congress said the party leadership’s assessment was that the students’ protests were a reflection of the “underlying angst” among the youth over unemployment. “While the protest is over, the party will have to find ways to bring that simmering discontent onto the surface,” a senior party leader said.“This protest, the deeper reason it has happened, is that the Indian system, job creation system, education system, institutional system, media system have been destroyed. It has ceased to exist. There are consequences to this. We are now facing a time of serious economic crisis and in times of serious economic crisis, we need that system. So the government should be aware that what has happened here is just one step in a very deep problem,” Gandhi said while addressing a press conference.Also Read | Dharmendra Pradhan’s exit affirms the young have been heard, larger listening needs to begin“The government needs to start listening to what the people of India are saying. This is a warning to them from the students of India and warning from the Opposition. That you cannot run India the way you have been running. This is not your personal fiefdom. That is not something that belongs to you, this belongs to the people of India. All these institutions do not belong to you. If you carry on down this path, you will see what has happened right now will be ten times this scale,” Gandhi said.The resignation of Pradhan, he said, was a victory of the students. “The education system which was once our pride, acknowledged as very good across the world, had been under attack for years. It was being captured and privatised. It (the protest) was a reaction to that. It was a reaction to unemployment and the overall situation in India. Pradhan was a symbol, a symbol of corruption, destruction of the education sector and incompetence – he had to go. And it was good he resigned. But the government will have to take concrete steps to reform the education sector,” he said.Gandhi also attacked the RSS, who he claimed had captured the education sector. “The RSS is equally responsible as Modi. Because the RSS, like termites, has hollowed out the education system. So serious steps are needed but I don’t think they will be able to take those steps,” he said.He said the student protesters had two more demands – action against the police personnel who assaulted them and an “apology” from PM Modi.“We hold Home Minister Amit Shah directly responsible for the (July 20) violence against our students. He authorised the shooting of our students. He authorised the use of lethal weapons, pellet guns on our students. So that for us is a fundamental issue. We will not accept our own forces shooting the future of India. So that is going to be a major issue in Parliament,” the LoP said.Also Read | Our fight will go on, PM Modi must apologise, says Rahul GandhiAnd it was not just the Congress. Cutting across ideological lines, the Opposition parties celebrated Pradhan’s resignation as a setback for the government and a victory for students and youth.Samajwadi Party (SP) president Akhilesh Yaday said the government must realise that it needs to think very seriously about exams and education. “The lesson to be learnt from this movement is that no exam paper should ever be leaked. The young generation and the youth created such slogans and posters that emerged without any explicit support or allegiance to any political party – yet, every single youth connected with them. The BJP, which claims to be the largest party in the world, was forced to bow down. This is a major victory for the youth,” he said.Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convener Arvind Kejriwal called it a “big win for democracy”. In a video message, Kejriwal lauded the students for their continued efforts during the protest, and hailed all those who participated in it. “Big congratulations to the youths and Gen Z, your efforts have led to Pradhan resigning from his post. After such a big agitation, the government’s arrogance was broken by the voice of the people. This is a big win for democracy,” the ex-Delhi chief minister said.you may likeIn his reaction, DMK chief M K Stalin said: “The farmers of India did it first. The youth have done it today. Congratulations to the youth of India who protested across the country, both offline and online, and made this victory possible. Just as the farm laws were repealed, we shall ensure that NEET is also abolished.”NCP(SP) president Sharad Pawar said the students stood firmly against “oppression” without fear and forced the government to accept moral responsibility against injustice, which is a symbol, he added, of the power of democracy and a victory for the unity of youth power in the country. “I certainly feel compelled to state that the democracy in the country has triumphed, and the credit for that undoubtedly goes to the young generation of the country,” he said.Must Read | The rise and fall of Dharmendra Pradhan: BJP’s trusted organiser undone by NEET leakTrinamool Congress (TMC) MP Sagarika Ghose said, “When arrogance and an unaccountable Narendra Modi regime met the youth power and a united Opposition, guess who won? Modi, who loves hearing only the sound of his own voice, has been forced by India’s youth to listen to the voice of the people.”