Congress leader and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Saturday addressed students at the ‘Chhatron Ki Goonj’ programme in Indore, raising concerns over teacher vacancies, school closures, recruitment delays and the condition of the education system. He said students represent the future of India and that their ability to question those in power is central to the country’s progress.
The programme saw students from different parts of Madhya Pradesh raise issues related to employment, delayed recruitment, alleged paper leaks, shortage of tribal hostels and the withholding of 13 percent posts in government recruitment due to legal disputes over OBC reservation. Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav responded sharply, calling Gandhi a “careless politician” and accusing him of addressing sensitive issues without adequate factual preparation.
Rahul Gandhi on Students and Questions
Addressing the gathering, Gandhi said the present system feels threatened by students because they ask questions. He said that curiosity is one of the most important qualities of a student and that no country can become strong without its youth.
“The system feels threatened by students. Why? Because students ask questions,” Gandhi said during his interaction.
He said that students question the functioning of institutions, employment opportunities, recruitment systems and the concentration of economic power. Gandhi also referred to Union Home Minister Amit Shah during his address and questioned how Amit Shah’s son became chairman of a cricket association.
The Congress leader said that students are naturally curious and should be encouraged to question different issues rather than being discouraged from doing so. He alleged that the system does not want students who question it, but wants “andhbhakts”.
According to Gandhi, a student is different from an “andhbhakt” because students remain curious, ask questions and try to understand different subjects, ideas and perspectives.
Curiosity, Love, Humility and Honesty
Gandhi said that students have several qualities that are important for the future of India. He described curiosity as their most significant characteristic.
He said students also carry the quality of “mohabbat”, or love, and have the capacity to engage with different ideologies without hatred or violence. Gandhi added that humility is another important quality because students try to understand perspectives different from their own.
He said students should not fight, threaten or intimidate others. Gandhi also described honesty as an essential trait of young people and said only students can help remove hatred and violence from the country.
The Congress leader said the future of India depends on whether young people are given proper education, job opportunities and a fair environment to build their careers.
Teacher Vacancies and School Closures
During his speech, Gandhi raised the issue of vacant teaching posts across the country. He claimed that around 10 lakh teacher posts are vacant and alleged that one lakh schools have been shut across India.
He further claimed that 55 percent of these school closures took place in Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh. Gandhi said education should remain a national priority and argued that reduced investment in education could damage the future of the country’s youth.
He also questioned the decline in the share of government spending on education. Gandhi claimed that the UPA government had allocated 4.6 percent of the Budget to education in 2014, while the current allocation had reduced to around 2.6 percent.
At the event, a tribal woman student appealed to Gandhi to raise the issue of inadequate hostel facilities for Adivasi students in Indore. Several participants also spoke about their concerns over delayed examinations, recruitment processes and government job vacancies.
13 Percent Recruitment Quota Issue
Students at the event also raised the issue of 13 percent posts that remain on hold in recruitment examinations in Madhya Pradesh because of court cases related to the increase in OBC reservation.
Some aspirants said they had cleared preliminary and main examinations and even appeared for interviews, but their appointments remained pending because a portion of recruitment posts had been withheld.
The issue has affected candidates preparing for government jobs in Madhya Pradesh, with aspirants repeatedly demanding that the state government find a solution to ensure appointments are completed without delay.
Gandhi said he was ready to participate in the protest of teacher-job aspirants in the state and extend support to young people seeking timely recruitment.
Mohan Yadav’s Response
Chief Minister Mohan Yadav rejected Gandhi’s allegations and said discussions on education, youth and employment should be based on facts and figures rather than political claims.
Yadav described the ‘Chhatron Ki Goonj’ programme as a “goonj of lies” and alleged that Gandhi had come to Madhya Pradesh without adequate preparation. He said Gandhi should have examined the record of Congress governments before raising questions about education and development.
The Chief Minister said the state government was working on large-scale recruitment. According to Yadav, recruitment is underway for around 18,000 police posts, while nearly 10,000 youths have already been trained and inducted into police service.
He also said the School Education Department was undertaking recruitment for 10,000 posts and that around 7,000 lecturers had already been recruited. Yadav added that the state government had increased education spending and expanded medical education facilities in Madhya Pradesh.
