Nashik: Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday told tribal students in Nashik that education is a right, not a privilege, as he met a delegation that included protesters who had been on hunger strike over hostel and recruitment demands.
Gandhi said he had carefully heard out the students’ grievances and stressed the need for a safe, respectful and conducive study environment for all.
In a post on X on Wednesday, Gandhi stated, “Today, in Nashik, Maharashtra, I met with a delegation of tribal students, which also included students who were on a hunger strike regarding their demands. I carefully listened to their problems and demands. Every student has the right to a respectful, safe, and conducive environment for their studies.”
He further added, “Students from marginalised communities should not face neglect from the system; they need its support and every possible assistance. Education is not a privilege—it is the right of every student in India.”
Congress Meetings, Protest Backdrop
Gandhi’s Nashik visit included two closed-door meetings with senior Maharashtra Congress leaders — among them MPCC president Harshwardhan Sapkal, Varsha Gaikwad, Prithviraj Chavan, Balasaheb Thorat, Satej Patil and Naseem Khan — as well as an address to district heads participating in the Sangathan Srijan Abhiyan training camp, as reported by The News Mill.
The interaction comes days after a 17-day indefinite hunger strike by tribal students at Pune’s Manjari tribal hostel ended on August 30, following written assurances from Tribal Development Minister Ashok Uike.
The agitation, launched on August 13 by students from Pune, Nagpur and Nashik, initially targeted changes to government tribal hostel rules before widening to cover hostel safety and facilities, tribal reservations, filling of vacant posts, PESA appointments, caste validity certificates, and compensation for three tribal girls who died from snake bites at a Gadchiroli ashram school.
Key Demands
Among key demands were Rs 10 crore insurance cover for each student in tribal hostels and residential schools, immediate implementation of recruitment for 12,500 tribal posts, and reinstatement with permanent appointment of PESA employees who had been relieved from service.
