Rahul Gandhi Meets Tribal Students In Nashik, Says Education Is A Right, Not A Privilege

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday met a delegation of tribal students in Nashik, including some who had gone on hunger strike over their demands, and said access to education must be treated as a right rather than a privilege.

During his visit to Maharashtra, Gandhi listened to the students’ concerns and demands, with their grievances including issues related to the condition of ashram schools for tribal students.

In a post on X, the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha said every student deserves a respectful, safe and conducive environment in which to study.

Gandhi also stressed that students from marginalised communities should not be left to deal with their problems without adequate institutional support. He said the system must provide them with the assistance they need to pursue their education.

“Education is not a privilege -- it is the right of every student in India,” Gandhi said.

The meeting came as tribal students raised concerns over a range of issues affecting their education and the facilities available to them. Their decision to undertake a hunger strike had brought attention to their demands ahead of Gandhi’s interaction with the delegation.

Gandhi was in Nashik as part of his Maharashtra visit, during which he also met district-level leaders of the Maharashtra Congress. He urged party workers to remain firmly committed to the Congress ideology and work towards ensuring justice for people.

His interaction with the tribal students added an education and social-justice dimension to the visit, with Gandhi using the meeting to underline the need for greater support for students from marginalised communities.