Chhatron ki Goonj will grow louder: Rahul Gandhi backs Maharashtra students' stir
The remarks came as the Maharashtra government set up a high-level committee to review the state's recruitment examination system after protests by tribal students and job aspirants over poor hostel conditions, student safety and exam paper leaks.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Sunday said thousands of students in Maharashtra are protesting on the streets because their trust in the system has been shattered.
He said the BJP-led government must listen to them and act immediately, warning that the "Chhatron ki Goonj" will only grow louder until justice is served.
His remarks came as the Maharashtra government set up a high-level committee to review the state's recruitment examination system after protests by tribal students and job aspirants over poor hostel conditions, student safety and exam paper leaks.
The government has also accepted key demands raised during the protests.
In a post in Hindi on X, the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha said, "In Maharashtra, thousands of students are on the streets, protesting peacefully – the reason isn't just one exam or recruitment, but a trust that's been shattered by the entire system."
He added, "Whether it's the central or state government, every student is tormented by the BJP government."
Gandhi listed a series of issues faced by students, saying, "Paper leaks, stalled recruitments, the unbearable cost of education, inhumane conditions in hostels, food like poison, fraud in DBT."
He also said, "And now, they've seized control of a constitutional body like MPSC and destroyed its credibility."
He said every demand being raised by students for a secure future was justified. "The government must listen to their voice and act immediately – otherwise, this 'Chhatron ki Goonj' will only grow louder until justice is served," he said.
The committee formed by the Maharashtra government will carry out a comprehensive review of the existing recruitment examination system and suggest steps to make it more transparent, secure, reliable and candidate-friendly.
The review will cover the full examination process, including question paper preparation and scrutiny, confidentiality and secure handling of papers, examination centre management and security, use of technology, prevention of malpractices, coordination among agencies, grievance redressal and the overall examination experience of candidates.
The developments follow protests in Maharashtra by tribal students and job aspirants over hostel conditions, student safety and paper leaks, with Gandhi backing the agitators and the state government announcing a wider review of the recruitment exam system.