Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday pointed out that “protesting students not terrorists, they are our future.” He also alleged that the Centre is trying to distract, but the focus should remain on students and their demands.
Speaking during a press conference at Indira Bhawan in New Delhi on Wednesday, the senior Congress leader asked, “What wrong have our students done to have security forces aiming weapons at them, beating them up?”
He said students are simply demanding an education system that works and is fair, but India's education system, which was known as the best in world, is today a rigged system.
Rahul asserted that Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan should be shown the door and that he is incapable of holding the post. He added that India's youth have no future and this has brought the students to the streets.
“There must be consequences on what has been done some days ago. Everyone who assaulted must be held accountable,” the Opposition leader said.
He added that Prime Minister Narendra Modi should have the decency to apologise to students for what has been done.
“We feel if India's students are on the streets, the Opposition should also be on the streets. The government wants to push this under carpet, but we want that 'Pradhan goes, PM apologises and education system changes',” the Congress leader said.
He recalled that there have been 152 paper leaks over the past 10 years when 7.5 crore students have been affected. However, there has been zero convictions during the decade, he claimed.
Rahul also claimed that Indian families spend on one exam what the Government of India spends on entire budget. “This is an insult to every single student, family in this country,” he said.
On getting injured during Tuesday's dharna outside the PM's residence at 7, Kalyan Marg Road, he said, “I am used to getting punched, my job is to express will of people, these are small costs. It's a huge honour to be able to express will of people. Happy to take many more.”
Rahul asserted that the Opposition's demands are non-negotiable. “In every government, there comes a time when psychologically the leadership collapses, the government is actually in panic,” he said.
