Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, who has been facing heat over the NEET question paper leak and irregularities in various other exams, stepped down from his post on July 25, following weeks of student agitation in New Delhi and several other parts of the nation. File
| Photo Credit: PTI
A social media content creator has been booked in Madhya Pradesh’s Niwari district for allegedly using “highly abusive” language against former Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Delhi Police in a video clip amid the student agitation.
According to the police, the accused, Yashpal Soni, a local social media influencer, was booked on July 23 over an Instagram reel he had posted and has been questioned in the matter.
Mr. Soni was booked under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) Sections 296(a) (obscene act in any public place to the annoyance of others) and 352 (intentional insult with intent to provoke a breach of the peace) following a complaint from local BJP leaders led by its block president Kamlesh Chourasiya.
Speaking to The Hindu, Niwari Superintendent of Police Ray Singh Narwaria said that the video was “way out of the purview of freedom of expression”.
“He has used such objectionable curse words in the video. This is in no way freedom of speech and should not be promoted,” he said.
Mr. Narwaria said that the action was taken as per legal provisions and Mr. Soni was questioned in the matter.
“He himself realised his mistake and apologised for it,” he said.
In the video titled ‘Desh dobara gulam ho gaya hai (the nation has been enslaved again)’, Mr. Soni could be heard cursing Mr. Pradhan and BJP leaders over the former’s resignation, and the police authorities over their crackdown on student protestors.
He has now removed the video from his Instagram account.
In the complaint, the BJP leaders also demanded that his social media account be restricted.
Mr. Pradhan, who has been facing heat over the NEET question paper leak and irregularities in various other exams, stepped down from his post on Saturday (July 25, 2026) following weeks of student agitation in New Delhi and several other parts of the nation. His removal was a key demand of the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), which was leading the movement. Mr. Pradhan has been replaced by his colleague in the Union Cabinet, Pralhad Joshi.
Published – July 26, 2026 08:35 pm IST
