Updated on: 29 Jul 2026
BENGALURU : Former Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has criticised the appointment of Karnataka MP Pralhad Joshi as the Union Education Minister, alleging that the decision has disappointed people in the state and raising questions over Joshi’s ideological background and past statements.
In a post on social media platform X, Siddaramaiah said Karnataka should have felt proud that a state MP had been given charge of the country’s Education Ministry. However, he alleged that the appointment of Joshi had caused embarrassment among Kannadigas due to his reported support for the release of convicts in the Bilkis Bano case.
Siddaramaiah claimed that Joshi and outgoing Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan share similar ideological views, stating that both leaders entered politics through the RSS-affiliated Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP). He alleged that the change in leadership at the Education Ministry would not bring any change in the government’s approach and that Joshi would continue to follow the RSS’s ideological direction.
Referring to the Bilkis Bano case, Siddaramaiah alleged that Joshi had supported the Gujarat government’s decision to release the convicts involved in the gang rape case on grounds of “good conduct”. He questioned the future of the country’s education system under a minister holding such views.
The former Chief Minister also said Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi and Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra had raised concerns over Joshi’s appointment in the Lok Sabha and claimed that while voices in Parliament could be restricted, public opinion across the country could not be silenced.
Siddaramaiah further alleged that Joshi could follow the same path as Dharmendra Pradhan and urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to remove Joshi from the Education Ministry and appoint a person with the required qualifications and vision to handle the portfolio.
