Leader of Opposition Shri Rahul Gandhi interacts with students and their family members about their problems and says that system wants ‘andh-bhakts’, not students

INDORE (MADHYA PRADESH), September 19: The theme of Indore's ‘Chhatron ki Goonj’ programme was the ‘System versus Students’, where Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Shri Rahul Gandhi explained how the “system” was attacking and crushing the students and promoting and patronising the ‘andh-bhakts’ (the bigots). In this edition of ‘Chhatron Ki Gunj’ a mammoth gathering of students from across Madhya Pradesh turning up is a sign of massive show of strength at the ‘Chhatron ki Goonj’ programme in Indore, where Leader of the Opposition Shri Rahul Gandhi interacted with students and heard their concerns over education, recruitment and other issues facing them.

He said, “The system wants ‘andh-bhakts’ and not the students, because unlike the andh-bhakts, the students are curious and ask questions,” amidst thunderous applause from the audience. The Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha said that students are the foundation and future of the nation, asserting that no country can become strong without them. He said that students are curious, question different issues and seek answers, while also possessing love, affection, humility, fearlessness, tolerance and honesty, qualities he described as important for nation building. Explaining how the ‘system’ was crushing the students, Shri Rahul Gandhi said that there were six people on the top running the system who include Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat and two billionaire businessmen Gautam Adani and Mukesh Ambani.

He said that the country is completely under their grip. He said that while Modi is on the top, Shah is the enforcer and enabler of the attack on the students, while Doval controls the information system like WhatsApp, the phones and acts as Modi’s and Shah’s informer. “Doval sits inside the phone”, he remarked while suggesting that he gets phones tapped. He said that according to the Doval doctrine, the country can be ruled by controlling just 500 people. “The system has placed its own people everywhere to have firm control over it,” he said.

Pointing out how the system promoted nepotism, Shri Rahul Gandhi said that how Amit Shah had handed over the entire cricket management to his son, when there were eminent cricketers like Sachin Tendulkar and Kapil Dev and others who could manage it. He asked - how is Amit Shah’s son qualified to control cricket in India?

He said that the system does not want the judiciary, the bureaucracy, the Election Commission and other institutions to function properly and independently. “The system does not want students, it wants ‘andh-bhakts’,” he said, while adding, “andh-bhakt is anti-student.”

“Students question as they are curious, while the andh-bhakts are delusional. Students talk of love and respect, while the andh-bhakts spread hate. Students are humble with humility and listen to others, while the andh-bhakts are full of arrogance. Students are fearless while andh-bhakts are cowards.

Students respect women, but andh-bhakts are patriarchal and attack and humiliate women. Students are honest, while the andh-bhakts are dishonest and liars”, he said, amidst huge applause from the responding crowd.

Referring to a video played during the programme, Shri Rahul Gandhi said that the ‘andh-bhakts’ say that they don’t need progress and even believe that Modi is Lord Vishnu’s avatar. He said that the andh-bhakts will never question why the papers were getting leaked, while the hostels were collapsing and precious lives were being lost. Asserting that it is the duty of the governments whether in the states or at the centre to provide education from kindergarten to the university to everyone, he said that education is not a luxury or favour but the right of every student in the country.

He said that while it is the responsibility of the government to provide education, the BJP government had reduced the budget allocation for education from 4.6 per cent during the Congress government to just 2.6 per cent now.

He said that during the last ten years, 1.5 crore students were denied scholarships and about one lakh schools had been closed. Besides, he added, there were ten lakh vacancies of teachers. That is how the education system is being destroyed in the country, he remarked.

Referring to the recent collapse of a PG building in Delhi which left seven students dead, he said that only 14 per cent students are getting hostel facilities and this is because of the cost-cutting and privatisation of education.

Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Shri Rahul Gandhi also met the family members of Arpit, an eighteen-year-old student who was among those who were killed in Delhi PG house collapse. He expressed sympathies to the family and assured full support that they may need.