Did Modi’s Birthday Wish Rescue Dharmendra Pradhan?

amitkumar

2 days ago

Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan in Chandigarh during a function.

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By AMIT KUMAR

Coincidence or calculated political messaging? Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s public birthday wish to Dharmendra Pradhan has reignited debate over the Education Minister’s standing within the BJP. Here’s why the gesture could carry more political weight than it appears.

New Delhi, June 26, 2026 — Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s post on X on Friday seems to be the most authoritative clue that he’s not sacking Dharmendra Pradhan, Union Minister for Education. “Cockroaches” have taken over the Jantar Mantar to press for the resignation of Pradhan for accusations that he destroyed India’s education.

Modi is likely to carry out a major Cabinet reshuffle in the next few days. His post on X lauded Pradhan for efforts to implement the National Education Policy. To rub salt to the wounds of the agitating souls at the Jantar Mantar, the Prime Minister credited Pradhan for his contributions in making “India a knowledge hub.” Learning and innovation were the other words packed into Modi’s shining of Pradhan.

With such rich tribute to the contributions of Pradhan, the education minister may be heaving a sigh of relief. The Damocles’ sword may have been removed.

The leaders of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) have been saying in recent days that Modi cannot risk sacking Pradhan. Stakes are too high to punish Pradhan for controversies surrounding India’s education sector, they said.

“What is the guarantee that the Opposition will stop making fresh demands for resignation if Pradhan was to be dropped from the Cabinet? Why will the Prime Minister take instructions from the Opposition,” said a BJP Lok Sabha MP from Jharkhand.

Yet, Pradhan surviving despite chaos in the education sector may embolden the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) and the Opposition to mount more intense campaigns in near future. “The Modi government will face challenges in perception management if Pradhan stays as Education Minister after episodes of NEET paper leaks, exam cancellation, and CBSE 12^th Board results’ controversies. His failings are too many to be whitewashed by one celebratory X post from the Prime Minister,” said Manish Anand, a senior Delhi-based political journalist.

A section of the BJP leaders also maintain that the Prime Minister may wait for an opportune time when agitations subside to edge out Pradhan from the Ministry of Education. “Statement of the Solicitor General Tushar Mehta in the Supreme Court that the Prime Minister is personally monitoring the NEET retest is a subtle admission that Pradhan’s performance as an education minister is now damaged that Modi is doing his job. So, the Prime Minister for the time may be telling the ‘cockroaches’ at the Jantar Mantar that they can carry on with their business, as he’s immune to street protests,” said a senior BJP leader.