Vijay Wadettiwar backs tribal students' hunger strike, urges Devendra Fadnavis to resolve hostel concerns

Congress Legislature Party leader and MLA Vijay Wadettiwar on Monday backed tribal students protesting against rules governing Maharashtras governmentrun hostels and urged Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to address their concernsWadettiwar said the students had raised several grievances with Congress leader Rahul Gandhi during the Chhatron Ki Goonj programme in Pune prompting Gandhi to write to Fadnavis and seek his interventionNagpur Maharashtra On LoP Rahul Gandhirsquos letter to the Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis regarding tribal students Congress MLA Vijay Namdevrao Wadettiwar says Tribal students had several problems which they brought to Rahul Gandhirsquos attention during the Chhatronhellip pictwittercombhWzz9u9jymdash IANS ians_india August 25 2026Tribal students had several problems which they brought to Rahul Gandhirsquos attention during the Chhatron ki goonj programme Rahul Gandhi took their concerns very seriously and therefore wrote a letter to the Chief Minister The students are facing many difficulties and new rules are being introduced that are adversely affecting them This is not right the Congress Legislature Party leader told reportersWadettiwar highlights students hunger strikeIn a post on X Wadettiwar said many tribal students in Maharashtra had been on hunger strike for more than 10 days while seeking changes to the rules and facilities at government hostels lsquo rsquo hellip httpstco8wTzMoqJY0mdash Vijay Wadettiwar VijayWadettiwar August 25 2026Many tribal students in Maharashtra have been on a hunger strike for more than the past 10 days for their rightful demands In the Chhatron Ki Goonj program in Pune tribal girl students presented their grievances before Rahul Gandhi ji The students raised serious questions regarding the unnecessary 30year age limit in hostels insulting rules unsafe facilities and inhuman conditions like pregnancy checks for women he saidThese students who have come from remote villages and hamlets for education are not asking the government for any mercy or charity they are demanding their rights Rahul Gandhi ji has taken note of these students questions and urged Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to meet them personally and resolve the issues immediately Now the government should not just give assurances but engage in dialogue with the students listen to their questions and deliver justice immediately the Congress Legislature Party leader saidRahul Gandhi seeks Fadnavis interventionGandhi has also written to Fadnavis urging him to personally meet the protesting students and resolve their concerns over the rules governing government hostelsIn his letter Gandhi said tribal students from across Maharashtra had been on hunger strike for more than 10 days He said students he met in Pune had raised concerns over rules that they believed affected their dignity and access to educationChief Minister Devendra Fadnavis Ji numerous tribal students from Maharashtra have been on a hunger strike for more than 10 days to demand their rights During the Chhatron ki Goonj event in Pune female students shared that hostels enforce an unnecessary age limit of 30 years humiliating rules unsafe facilities and inhuman provisions such as pregnancy checks for women the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha said in a post on XGandhi shared a memorandum from the students along with his letter and urged the Chief Minister to meet them and resolve their problems at the earliestCongress flags 30year age limit in hostelsGandhi said many tribal students from remote villages depend on government hostels to pursue their education in cities He alleged that the 30year age restriction could exclude students who are still completing their studies or preparing for examinationsMany 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 Hostels are unsafe and often lack food sanitation and medical care Students have suffered injuries and deaths including from snake bites Facilities for women are worse still he alleged in his letterWadettiwar echoed these concerns saying the students had raised questions about the safety and functioning of hostels and the impact of new rules on their educationPregnancy checks for women students questionedThe Congress leaders also raised concerns over alleged medical requirements for female students returning to hostels after an extended absenceI 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 It is a humiliation that presumes them guilty until they prove otherwise This rule is an attack on their dignity and their humanity Gandhi saidThe allegations have added to the students demands for a review of hostel rules and improvements in accommodation food sanitation and medical facilitiesWadettiwar asks government to engage with studentsWadettiwar said the government should not limit its response to assurances but should hold discussions directly with the students and their representativesThe Congress leader said students who have travelled from remote villages and hamlets to pursue education should not have to compromise their dignity or safety to access government accommodationGandhi also emphasised that the students were not seeking charity but access to facilities and support they were entitled to receiveThese students coming from remote villages and towns are not asking for charity they are demanding their rightful entitlements It is expected that you will meet them personally and immediately resolve their issues Gandhi saidThe Congress leaders have now called on the Maharashtra government to meet the protesting students examine their complaints about hostel rules and facilities and take steps to resolve the issues as the hunger strike continues