Rahul Gandhi’s Letter to Fadnavis Sparks Fresh BJP-Cong Clash Over Tribal Students A new political confrontation emerged in Maharashtra on Tuesday as Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, wrote to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, urging him to address the grievances of tribal students protesting over hostel rules and facilities. The protests, ongoing in Nagpur and Pune, have drawn sharp criticism from BJP’s Tribal Development Minister, Ashok Uike, who accused Gandhi of arriving late to the issue and criticized Congress for failing to brief him on developments. Gandhi’s letter, sent to Fadnavis on Monday, followed a meeting with tribal students during his “Chhatron Ki Goonj” interaction in Pune. He highlighted that students from across Maharashtra had been on hunger strike for over 10 days, demanding immediate action. Gandhi emphasized the need for Fadnavis to meet the students’ representatives and resolve their grievances, stressing that many tribal students from remote villages rely on government hostels to pursue higher education. Uike, however, disputed Gandhi’s account, claiming that the hunger strike had already been withdrawn before Gandhi’s visit. In a post on X, he mocked Gandhi’s timing, stating, “Rahulji, you always arrive late!” He accused Gandhi of conducting a “paid PR programme” and defended the government’s decision to raise the hostel age limit for intake from 26 to 30 years, effective August 14. Uike argued that the revised limit was a response to students’ demands, though protesters continue to call for its withdrawal. Gandhi’s letter also detailed complaints about inadequate food, sanitation, and medical facilities in hostels, as well as reports of snakebite incidents leading to injuries and deaths.#nagpur #rahul_gandhi #devendra_fadnavis #pune #ashok_uike
