FRANCE PERSPECTIVE

Paris, July 26, 2026. The resignation of Dharmendra Pradhan, announced Saturday on X after six days of protest, dominates the front pages of French media covering India. 'Given the situation that has developed at Jantar Mantar and across the country, I have decided to send my resignation letter to the Prime Minister,' the minister stated, cited by Le Monde. Pralhad Joshi now serves in an interim capacity.

News outlets emphasize that Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) spokesman Ashutosh Ranka immediately announced the end of the mobilization: 'All our demands have been accepted, we urge protesters to withdraw peacefully and return home.' L'Obs notes that 'thousands of demonstrators who had camped day and night since Monday at Jantar Mantar broke into celebration' at the announcement of the minister's departure.

French media underscore Narendra Modi's political gesture, challenged more directly than ever since his 2024 re-election: the government adopted a draft constitutional amendment on Friday establishing 'accelerated judicial procedures and severe sanctions' against those responsible for the leaks, and the Prime Minister thanked protesters in a video for their 'positive contributions.' RFI recalls that the movement, born in May from a Supreme Court judge's remark comparing unemployed youth to 'cockroaches,' drew strength from the scandal of medical exam leaks that forced over two million candidates to retake the test, and from activist Sonam Wangchuk's 26-day hunger strike, concluded Friday following negotiations. Mediapart and RFI also note that opposition leader Rahul Gandhi demanded Modi's own resignation, while police deployed tear gas and batons during the previous week. French media remain cautious about what follows: the bill must still be debated in Parliament, and nothing guarantees that promised sanctions will actually be applied to those responsible for the leaks.