Rahul Gandhi slammed the government over the alleged firing on protesting students in Siwan, questioning the use of an AK-47. He also extended support to students in Maharashtra protesting paper leaks and other issues under BJP-led governments.
Congress MP and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, on Sunday questioned the government over the alleged firing on students during a protest, asking what crime the students had committed to face such action.
“Imagine, what sin had these children committed that they were shot? They had only asked the government for three things – education, employment, and accountability,” Gandhi said in a video post on X.
He claimed that a student had his leg bone shattered by an AK-47 bullet, ending his dream of joining the Army and serving the nation. He added that bullets had torn through the shoulders of two other students.
“They were not criminals. They were the children from poor families who had stepped out to study carrying their families’ dreams – some wanted a good job, some wanted to change their family’s circumstances,” Gandhi said.
“The bullet wounds will heal – but where is the hospital that treats the fear that has now settled deep inside these children? Prime Minister ji, Chief Minister ji – their broken bones will mend. Can you restore their shattered dreams?” he added.
This comes amid a controversy over the use of an AK-47 rifle during a student protest in Siwan. The Bihar government told the Supreme Court that a police constable had fired four rounds from an AK-47 into the air after being trapped in a crowd, while maintaining that no protester was injured by the firing. The constable has been suspended.
Rahul Gandhi Supports Maharashtra Student Protests
Earlier, Gandhi extended support to protesting students in Maharashtra, alleging that BJP-led governments have failed to address issues including paper leaks, stalled recruitments and rising education costs.
In a post on X, the Congress MP wrote, “In Maharashtra, thousands of students are on the streets, protesting peacefully – the reason isn’t just one exam or recruitment, but a trust that’s been shattered by the entire system. Whether it’s the central or state government, every student is tormented by the BJP regime. Paper leaks, stalled recruitments, the unbearable cost of education, inhumane conditions in hostels, food like poison, fraud in DBT…and now, they’ve seized control of a constitutional body like MPSC and destroyed its credibility.”
“Every demand from students for their successful future is justified. The government must listen to their voice and act immediately – otherwise, this echo of the students will only grow louder until justice is served,” the post read.
MPSC Paper Leak Investigation
Rahul Gandhi’s remarks came amid a Mumbai Police investigation into the alleged leak of the question paper for the Maharashtra Public Service Commission (MPSC) Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Inspector examination.
The screening examination for the Drug Inspector was conducted offline on March 22 at six divisional headquarters across Maharashtra, and its result was declared on June 12.
After the completion of interviews, the Commission published a provisional general merit list comprising 488 candidates, including 485 eligible and three ineligible candidates for the post.
However, between July 22 and July 26, the Commission received complaints through email from candidates and public representatives alleging malpractice in the March 22 screening examination. The complaints alleged that some candidates had received the question paper or questions before the examination, on March 20, and that these were subsequently circulated through social media or electronic media.
On Tuesday, accused Rutuja Patil was taken into custody from Nandurbar by the Property Cell of the Crime Branch. On August 26, the Crime Branch arrested six individuals in connection with the breach of confidentiality related to the MPSC Drug Inspector (Group-B) examination. The case has been registered under the Maharashtra Competitive Examination (Prevention of Malpractices) Act, 2024, and the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988. (ANI)
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)