Rahul Gandhi warns Maharashtra govt on student unrest, backs 'Chhatron ki Goonj'

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Sunday threw his weight behind the ongoing student protests in Maharashtra, warning that the state government must respond to the demonstrators' demands or the movement — which he termed 'Chhatron ki Goonj' — will only intensify.

In a post on X in Hindi, the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha said thousands of students were peacefully protesting on the streets of Maharashtra. He argued that the unrest was not driven by a single exam or recruitment issue but by a deeper erosion of trust in the system.

Gandhi listed a range of grievances faced by students under BJP rule, including paper leaks, stalled recruitment drives, high education costs, poor hostel conditions, and alleged fraud in direct benefit transfers. He also accused the government of taking control of the Maharashtra Public Service Commission (MPSC), a constitutional body, and undermining its credibility.

He asserted that all student demands for a secure future were justified and urged the government to listen and act immediately. "Otherwise, this 'Chhatron ki Goonj' will only grow louder until justice is served," he said.

The remarks come as tribal students and job aspirants in the state have been holding protests over hostel conditions, safety concerns, and exam paper leaks. In response, the Maharashtra government has constituted a high-level committee to review the existing recruitment examination system.

The panel is tasked with suggesting measures to make the process more transparent, secure, and candidate-friendly. Its review will cover question paper preparation, confidentiality, examination centre management, use of technology, prevention of malpractices, inter-agency coordination, and grievance redressal.