Bhubaneswar, August 9, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Former Union Minister and senior BJP leader Dharmendra Pradhan has alleged that some people attempted to mislead members of Generation Z during the protests over the NEET paper leak controversy.
Speaking at a programme at Gangadhar Meher University in Sambalpur on Saturday, Pradhan said the youth should remain focused on the larger national interest.
“I believe that some people tried to mislead our Gen Z,” he said.
The Sambalpur MP said his position as a minister was not a matter of personal prestige and emphasised the collective strength of nearly 20 crore members of Gen Z.
He said this generation could play a crucial role in helping India realise its vision of becoming a ‘Vishwaguru’, adding that if such a large number of young people united with determination, his individual contribution would become insignificant compared with their collective will.
Pradhan said he had conveyed this sentiment to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who subsequently chose to engage directly with the youth. He reiterated that national interest should remain the foremost priority.
The address was Pradhan’s first major speech after his resignation from the Union Council of Ministers amid student protests over the NEET paper leak controversy.
Referring to India’s freedom struggle, Pradhan said the freedom fighters who sacrificed their lives for the country were the Gen Z of their time.
In a lighter vein, he said he too had been affected by Gen Z.
Earlier on Saturday, while addressing a public programme in Sambalpur, Pradhan said he had served as a Union Minister for 12 years with the blessings of Lord Jagannath and the people of Odisha without bringing disrepute to the state.
“Dharmendra Pradhan has never made 4.5 crore Odias hang their heads in shame. I have the blessings of Lord Jagannath and Maa Samaleshwari. As long as I am alive, whether I do good work for Odisha or not, I will never cause any harm to the state’s honour,” he said.
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