India news: Rahul Gandhi backs student protests in Maharashtra
Opposition Rahul Gandhi has said that students are "tormented" by the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party. The Congress politician has demanded immediate action into the demands of Maharashtra student protesters. DW has more.
Rahul Gandhi, the main opposition leader in India, has expressed solidarity with students demonstrating in Maharashtra against what they perceive as irregularities in a state-level recruitment exam. Thousands of students are protesting peacefully, not just over a single exam, but due to a lack of trust in the entire system, according to Gandhi.
He urged the government to address the protesters' demands and take action to restore justice. This comes after the Maharashtra government launched an investigation into a suspected paper leak in the Maharashtra Public Service Commission's Food and Drug Administration examination for Drug Inspector posts held on March 22. Initially, complaints were made that some candidates received the question paper in advance, but the recruitment process was completed and a merit list of 488 candidates was published.
However, the commission later canceled the recruitment and cited a police inquiry suggesting a candidate had obtained the question paper beforehand. The government has also formed a high-level committee to review the recruitment exam system in Maharashtra to enhance transparency, security, reliability, and candidate-friendliness.
Gandhi criticized the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in Maharashtra, alleging that the regime has tormented students through various issues including paper leaks, delayed recruitments, high costs of education, and poor hostel conditions. The protests echo a larger nationwide student-led challenge to India's examination system in July, which led to the resignation of the education minister.
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