Indore: Congress leader and Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi on Saturday raised issues including paper leaks, delayed recruitments, education costs, scholarships and hostel facilities at his ‘Chhatron Ki Goonj’ programme in Indore.
The programme, held under the theme “System vs Students”, featured students and aspirants sharing experiences of delayed examinations, alleged recruitment irregularities, lack of infrastructure and difficulties faced by marginalised communities.
Gandhi said the objective was to restore the “hope” students had lost in the education system.
“We want the hope that was shattered in your hearts to return with renewed vigour. We want you to start believing in education and the system once again,” Gandhi said.
He said students are defined by curiosity, love, humility, honesty and fearlessness, adding, “Students do not hate. They treat one another with affection, kindness and mutual respect.”
Gandhi also alleged that a powerful “system” controlled major institutions and said, “The struggle is against the system. What is this system? The system has various layers. At the top level sit six individuals who run it. Narendra Modi ji—he handles the intimidation, the acts of beating students, the use of nail-studded batons, and the firing of pellet guns; Amit Shah ji runs it; he is the enforcer. This is Ajit Doval ji, the National Security Advisor. In informal conversations, he says that to control India, one only needs to control 500 people. He has taken control of India’s telephones, WhatsApp, and Facebook communications; he orchestrates phone tapping and passes the information to Amit Shah ji and Narendra Modi ji. In the middle is Mohan Bhagwat ji, who deals with ideology; his organisation receives thousands of crores of rupees to run schools, colleges, and institutions. Then, on one side, there is Adani ji, and on the other, Ambani ji…The system has placed its own people in every single institution,” he said.
“The system feels threatened by students. Why? Because students ask questions,” Gandhi added.
Students also raised concerns over recruitment delays, examination transparency and access to education. Gandhi said, “Education is not a luxury; it is a fundamental right of every citizen.”
MP Chief Minister Mohan Yadav criticised Gandhi’s claims and defended the state’s education record.
“Today in Indore, the Leader of the Opposition, Rahul Gandhi, held an event that was essentially an exercise in spreading falsehoods; true to form, he displayed his characteristic lack of seriousness regarding the subject matter. He arrived unprepared and engaged with children and young people, with whom a genuine question-and-answer session should have taken place, only to further the Congress party’s agenda of misleading the public. It is deeply disheartening. The role of the Leader of the Opposition is a significant one,” he said.
Yadav said Madhya Pradesh had achieved a zero-dropout rate in school education and highlighted the increase in the school education budget.
The programme concluded with student panellists joining Gandhi on stage for a collective photograph, followed by the ‘Chhatron Ki Goonj’ anthem.
