How a 1997 Paper Leak Protest Shaped Dharmendra Pradhan's Political Career Dharmendra Pradhan, who later became Odisha’s Education Minister and a senior BJP leader, first gained public attention in 1997 as a student activist during a protest against an alleged examination paper leak. The incident, which unfolded in Bhubaneswar, marked a pivotal moment in his political journey and has since resurfaced in discussions about the current NEET-UG exam controversy. At the time, Pradhan was a 19-year-old student affiliated with the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), the student wing of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). The protest, organized by around 1,500 students, targeted the Janaki Patnaik-led Congress government, which was accused of leaking exam papers for a state-level examination. Pradhan’s involvement in the protest was significant. According to accounts from his peers, including Prashant Rout, a former classmate at Utkal University, the demonstration was initially peaceful but turned violent when police intervened. Rout recalled that Pradhan was severely beaten during the clash, suffering fractures and other injuries. The attack, which Rout described as a result of political rivalries, left Pradhan with lasting scars. “He is alive today only out of sheer luck,” Rout said, highlighting the brutality of the incident. The 1997 protest also marked the beginning of Pradhan’s political career. At the time, he was serving as the ABVP’s National Secretary and on the verge of joining the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). His activism during the protest helped establish his reputation as a committed student leader.#bjp #rashtriya_swayamsevak_sangh #akhil_bharatiya_vidyarthi_parishad #dharmendra_pradhan #biju_janata_dal
