Congress MP and leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi has written an open letter to Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, urging him to meet Adivasi students in Pune who have been on an indefinite hunger strike for more than 10 days over various demands.
Taking to his X account, Gandhi shared the letter addressed to Fadnavis along with a memorandum submitted by the protesting students. In his letter, Gandhi wrote, “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.”
Gandhi said he was compelled to write the letter after visiting Pune for the ‘Chhatron Ki Goonj’ programme, where the young woman told him about the ongoing Adivasi students.
Gandhi flags hostel conditions
In his letter, Gandhi also highlighted alleged shortcomings in government tribal hostels, claiming that several facilities are unsafe and often lack adequate food, sanitation and medical care. He further alleged that students have suffered injuries and even died in incidents including snake bites, while facilities for women are in an even worse condition.
Gandhi further, in his letter, raised glaring concerns over the alleged practice of female students being subjected to pregnancy tests and other medical examinations when they return to hostels after an extended absence.
Describing the practice as humiliating, Gandhi wrote, “Humiliation that presumes them guilty until they prove otherwise. This rule is an attack on their dignity and their humanity.”
Gandhi urged Fadnavis to visit the protest site, meet the students and hear their concerns firsthand.
Students seek withdrawal of GRs
Meanwhile, in a memorandum submitted by the protesting Adivasi students, they sought Rahul Gandhi’s intervention in the matter and demanded the withdrawal of the Government Resolutions (GRs) issued on August 5 and August 14, 2026. They also demanded that the November 11, 2011 GR be revised and that financial provisions be increased in line with the current inflation index.
The memorandum also listed several other demands, including issues concerning the location of government tribal hostels, action against people allegedly obtaining government employment using fake caste certificates, and other demands related to the welfare of Adivasi students.
Agitation began on August 13
According to reports, the agitation began on August 13, after the Tribal Development Department issued a GR on August 5 introducing an upper age limit for students residing in government tribal hostels.
The protesting students have argued that the new rules are particularly unfair to tribal students, many of whom face financial difficulties, delayed entry into higher education and interruptions in their academic journeys.
