MUMBAI, Aug 25: The Maharashtra BJP on Monday criticised Congress leader Rahul Gandhi after he raised concerns over the treatment of tribal students in state run hostels, urging him to first review tribal welfare facilities in Congress governed Telangana and Karnataka.
Gandhi had written to Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis seeking urgent intervention in the problems faced by tribal students who have been protesting through a hunger strike for several days.
The BJP accused Gandhi of selectively raising issues in Maharashtra while overlooking conditions in states where Congress is in power. The party said the Maharashtra government was capable of addressing concerns affecting tribal communities and students.
In a post on X, the state BJP said Gandhi should examine the functioning of tribal welfare departments and residential hostels in Telangana and Karnataka before commenting on Maharashtra’s arrangements.
The ruling party also alleged that some tribal educational institutions in Maharashtra facing protests are linked to Congress leaders. It accused the Opposition party of attempting to protect individuals associated with the institutions.
The BJP cited allegations concerning a school in Gadchiroli and referred to the deaths of three young girls at an institution whose director, it claimed, was former Congress MP Marotrao Kowase. The party further alleged that his son, Vishwajeet Kowase, heads the Gadchiroli District Congress Committee and serves as the school’s secretary.
The BJP also raised concerns over facilities at an ashram school in Yavatmal, claiming that girls’ washrooms at the institution lacked doors. According to the party, the school is associated with former Maharashtra minister and Congress leader Vasant Purke.
The allegations were part of the BJP’s broader attack on Gandhi, with the party accusing Congress leaders of having misused their influence over tribal educational institutions when the party was previously in power.
Gandhi had earlier urged Fadnavis to personally meet tribal students and resolve their grievances. In his letter, he highlighted concerns over an age limit of 30 years for students seeking accommodation in government hostels, along with complaints about allegedly humiliating rules and inadequate facilities.
He said students from remote villages and towns were seeking access to their legitimate entitlements rather than asking for special treatment.
Gandhi also referred to concerns raised by female students during a programme in Pune, including allegations of unsafe hostel conditions and what he described as intrusive provisions affecting women students.
He appealed to the Maharashtra chief minister to take immediate steps to address the complaints and consider relaxing conditions that students have described as unfair.
The BJP, however, maintained that the state government would take appropriate action and rejected what it described as political attempts to shield Congress-linked individuals.
The dispute has brought renewed political focus on the functioning of tribal residential schools and hostels in Maharashtra, with both parties trading allegations over the welfare and safety of students.