Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan’s daughter, Naimisha Pradhan, disabled her social media account following online outrage over her pursuing an educational degree abroad. Naimisha completed her Master of Laws (LLM) degree from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University in Massachusetts, United States.
Event Context
Amid the Cockroach Janta Party protest at Jantar Mantar, which is demanding Pradhan’s resignation as the education minister, Instagram users found his daughter’s account and flooded comments sections of several posts, tagging her. The outrage was aggravated after police action on student protesters on Monday earlier this week, when the CJP was taking out a march to the Parliament to raise its issues.
Several users on Instagram have made videos and posts, questioning Naimisha’s education in a foreign country, and urging the resignation of her father from his ministerial post. Social media users also flooded the comments sections of posts made by Tufts University with slogans like ‘Dharmendra Pradhan resign’, and further called for her suspension from the educational institution. It must be noted that Naimisha reportedly completed her LLM degree in 2023 and began working as a senior associate at the US-India Strategic Partnership Forum (USISPF).
One of the posts tagging Pradhan’s daughter claimed that she had pursued an education abroad because of the education system in the country. “You’re studying abroad because you know what millions of Indian students already know: our education system is failing them,” the post read, adding that other students would leave too if they had “the privilege and the money.”
While some users tagged Tufts University and alleged that she was a “part of the problem”, others asserted that the issue must remain focused on Pradhan and not include his family members.” Dragging a family member into it, especially someone who isn’t the decision maker, crosses a line,” a user said, adding that accountability must be sought from the people in office. “Criticize those in power, question their actions, and demand change,” the user added.
Meanwhile, union education minister Pradhan, in his first reaction to the CJP protest at Jantar Mantar, lashed out at the Congress and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi. He further said that the government was willing to discuss NEET and addressing the concerns of youths on the floor of the House.
Team Analysis
“LoP Shri @RahulGandhi and @INCIndia continue to shamelessly exploit students as political tools to manufacture disruption during the Monsoon Session of Parliament,” Pradhan said in a post on X. He said Rahul and other leaders had staged a sit-in outside the residence of the Prime Minister “causing inconvenience to the public and disregarding established security protocols.” The union minister said the government had conveyed that it was willing to discuss NEET and other issues in Parliament, claiming that the Congress “chose political spectacle over democratic debate.”
“For Rahul Gandhi, this is not about students. This is about manufacturing confrontation after every genuine avenue for discussion has been opened,” Pradhan said in the post. He said the government “remains 100% committed to discussing NEET”, adding that the students “deserve far better than being treated as props in a political campaign.” “We owe our students more than outrage. We owe them answers, reforms and accountability. That is exactly what our government remains committed to delivering,” Pradhan added.
