From fan to critic: 2023 post resurfaces, reveals changing equations

Three years are a long time in public life. A 2023 photo of education minister Dharmendra Pradhan with education reformer Sonam Wangchuk and his wife Gitanjali Angmo has acquired a new political life.The March 2023 post, in which Pradhan praised the couple’s ideas and commitment to transforming education, resurfaced on social media Thursday as Wangchuk’s indefinite hunger strike over examination irregularities entered its 26th day. Wangchuk had responded with similar warmth, thanking Pradhan for being open to innovative ideas and saying the interaction had left them “even more committed to making NEP a reality on the ground”. The contrast is sharp. Wangchuk, who had expressed enthusiasm about implementing NEP, is now the most prominent face associated with CJP’s agitation seeking accountability over NEET-UG paper leak and Pradhan’s exit. – Manash Gohain