During the 'Voice of Students' event in Pune, Maharashtra, Congress politician Rahul Gandhi criticized the government regarding the issues faced by indigenous students. He stated his readiness to side with the protesting students.
During a direct interaction with female students at the 'Voice of Students' event, one indigenous student spoke about problems related to hostels, education, and safety. The student reported that indigenous students in Manjari, Pune, have been on a hunger strike for 10 days, putting forward several demands. Two other students also participated in the protest, and one of them was hospitalized due to deteriorating health.
The student specified that representatives of the indigenous community had approached the state government with their demands, and this matter is currently at the Chief Minister's level. She asserted that if the government cannot work on the development of indigenous students, it has no right to remain in power.
The student demanded an increase in the age limit for residing in government hostels for indigenous people. Currently, students are only allowed to live in hostels for a specific period. She insisted on increasing this limit to 35 years, although ideally, in her opinion, there should be no age restrictions for hostel residency.
Furthermore, she raised concerns about the condition of ashram schools, stating that many lack even basic amenities, including issues with beds and drinking water. She also questioned the centralized kitchen system in ashram schools, noting that transporting food over long distances risks spoilage, which could negatively affect students' health.
The student called for improved medical care in educational institutions for indigenous people and asked why there couldn't be a 24-hour nursing service in ashrams and other residential facilities. She cited an incident in Gharchirauli where three indigenous students died from snake bites, and another three were hospitalized. She demanded compensation of at least ten million rupees for the families of the deceased.
She also expressed concern about the safety of female students in hostels and the administration's conduct. According to the student, if an indigenous student stays outside the hostel for more than a month, she requires a fitness certificate, which includes a pregnancy test, raising questions for her about the necessity of such a check. She urged the administration to intervene in this matter.
The student also mentioned issues with the location of hostels in cities like Pune and Mumbai, noting that many hostels are far from educational institutions, forcing students to spend many hours commuting daily, reducing study time.
When the hunger strike in Manjari was mentioned, Rahul Gandhi requested to be invited there. He stated that he would come to the protest and sit down with the students. Rahul Gandhi also indicated that he would support the students in pressuring officials regarding their demands. During the event, he also discussed topics such as education, economic self-sufficiency, public transport safety, violence, and cyberbullying with the students. Following Rahul's statement, increased political debate is expected regarding the demands of indigenous students.
