New Delhi: Congress leader and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi has asked Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to hold an immediate meeting with Adivasi students protesting against hostel policies and living conditions.
In a letter sent on August 24, Gandhi said he had met the students in Pune and heard their complaints about regulations that, according to him, undermined their dignity and obstructed their education.
“Adivasi students from across Maharashtra have been on hunger strike for more than ten days. In Pune, they told me about rules that strip them of their dignity and shut off their path to education,” Gandhi wrote to Fadnavis.
He said students from distant villages often depend on government-run hostels to continue their studies in urban centres. Gandhi particularly criticised the rule preventing people above 30 from residing in such facilities, arguing that it could affect students who were still pursuing their education or preparing for competitive and university examinations.
“Many Adivasi students come from remote villages and depend on government hostels to study in the cities. A new rule bars anyone over 30 from these hostels, excluding many who are still completing their studies or preparing for exams,” the Congress leader said.
Gandhi also drew attention to complaints about the poor quality of food, inadequate sanitation and limited access to medical care in the hostels. He referred to cases involving injuries and deaths, including those reportedly caused by snake bites, and said the situation in hostels for women was even more distressing, as reported by The Statesman.
He expressed particular alarm over allegations that female students returning to hostels after a prolonged absence were being asked to undergo pregnancy tests and other medical examinations to establish their “fitness”.
“I was shocked to learn that female students returning after an extended absence must undergo pregnancy tests and a range of other medical tests, to prove their ‘fitness’,” Gandhi wrote. “It is a humiliation that presumes them guilty until they prove otherwise. This rule is an attack on their dignity and their humanity.”
The prolonged agitation has brought the condition of government hostels for Adivasi students back into focus. These facilities are used by students from remote and tribal regions who move to towns and cities to pursue higher education.
Student organisations have called for changes to hostel regulations, improved infrastructure, better food and sanitation, and stronger safety measures for residents.
Gandhi said the protesting students were seeking enforcement of their rights rather than any special treatment.
“These students are not asking for charity. They are demanding what is theirs by right. They should not have to risk their health for their government to listen,” he said.
“I therefore request that you personally meet representatives of the protesting Adivasi students, hear them, and resolve their issues immediately,” Gandhi added.
A memorandum prepared by the protesting tribal students was enclosed with the letter, according to the document released by Gandhi’s office.