Congress leader and the Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, on Saturday said students increasingly feel that institutions meant to support them are instead working against them.
Addressing students during the ‘Chhatron Ki Goonj’ programme in Indore, Gandhi said, “As I just mentioned, students feel that the very system designed to help and protect them, and to safeguard universities and colleges, is the one attacking them.”
The Congress MP’s remarks came during an interaction focused on challenges faced by students, including issues related to universities, transparency and their future.
Rahul Gandhi Interacts With Students
A student interacting with Gandhi echoed his concerns, alleging that universities were failing to cooperate and that there
was widespread fraud and a lack of transparency.
“Absolutely. The universities are simply unable to cooperate; there is fraud going on everywhere. There is a complete lack of transparency. All we want is a proper solution to the issues we have brought to you so that all our problems can be resolved…,” the student said.
Gandhi also spoke about the qualities he believes students possess, including curiosity, affection, humility, fearlessness, tolerance and honesty. He said these qualities needed to be protected as they play a role in shaping the country.
“The first thing we need to understand is that students are the future of India. No country can become strong without its students,” Gandhi said.
He added that students naturally question things and seek answers, describing curiosity as one of their most important qualities.
The LoP further said the “system” is afraid of students because they question authority and seek answers. Contrasting students with what he described as “blind followers,” Gandhi said the system, according to his argument, prefers people who do not question it. He added that the “blind followers” promote hatred, arrogance, intolerance and dishonesty. He alleged that the system therefore seeks to create and promote blind followers across the country rather than encourage students to remain curious and fearless.
‘Chhatron Ki Goonj’
The ‘Chhatron Ki Goonj’ campaign, launched by Congress leaders in 2026, aims to provide a platform for students to raise concerns related to examination irregularities, paper leaks, rising education costs, recruitment issues and unemployment. The campaign has previously been held in Pune, Kota, Dehradun and Prayagraj, with the objective of bringing student-related issues into the national political discourse.
