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Dharmendra Pradhan said that the “self-proclaimed champions of Constitution” must first read the draft regulations “before launching their rehearsed political performances.”
Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan
After Congress MP Rahul Gandhi and Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav joined DMK MP Kanimozhi Karunanidhi on Wednesday to stage a protest at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar against the UGC’s draft regulations, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan took a dig calling it “petty politics.” He also said that the “self-proclaimed champions of Constitution” must first read the draft regulations “before launching their rehearsed political performances.”
Taking to the microblogging site, X, Pradhan said,”It is both unfortunate and concerning to see how some political leaders, including the LoP, twist progressive educational reforms into imaginary threats to sustain their outdated political narratives.”
He also added, “The UGC draft regulations aim to broaden horizons, not narrow them. They seek to include more voices, not silence them. They uphold institutional autonomy and our linguistic diversity. They strengthen our academic institutions, not weaken them. But perhaps these facts are too inconvenient for those who prefer rhetoric over reality.”
It is both unfortunate and concerning to see how some political leaders, including the LoP, twist progressive educational reforms into imaginary threats to sustain their outdated political narratives.The UGC draft regulations aim to broaden horizons, not narrow them. They seek…
— Dharmendra Pradhan (@dpradhanbjp) February 6, 2025
The leaders of Congress and Lok Sabha LoP know nothing about the history of the nation and languages and they don’t respect the constitutional system, the Education Minister told ANI. He added that they are opposing the NEP 2020. “In the parliament also, I have said that before and after independence, the chancellors of the universities used to be Governors…UGC is an autonomous body…Their stand is influenced by politics and they want to create confusion in society…Rahul Gandhi never understood India…” Pradhan told the news agency.
On Wednesday, a joint resolution was passed by Himachal Pradesh, Jharkhand, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, and Karnataka seeking immediate withdrawal of the draft UGC regulations 2025. Further, the University Grants Commission (UGC) has extended the last date for feedback on its draft guidelines to February 28 from February 5.