‘System afraid of students who ask questions’: Rahul Gandhi in Indore; MP CM hits back

On September 20, 2026, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi raised concerns about the absence of hostels for female students in India, seeking answers from Prime Minister Narendra Modi. During a Chhatron Ki Goonj event in Indore, a female student asked Gandhi why the government spends money on lighting diyas but not on providing hostels.

Gandhi recounted the student's concerns about staying in private accommodations due to safety and financial worries, including monthly rent and the fear of homelessness. He stated, "सरकार के पास दिया जलाने के लिए पैसा है - हमारे हॉस्टल के लिए क्यों नहीं?" (The government has money to light diyas - why not for our hostels?). Gandhi questioned the Prime Minister, asking, "Narendra Modi ji - Do you have any answer to that little girl's question?"

He criticized the government for not addressing the lack of hostels, arguing that there is no adequate infrastructure, quality teachers, or job opportunities for India's youth. Gandhi accused the government of having a "rotten system" that targeted students, preventing them from questioning authority and seeking answers. He alleged that the system, which he claimed included figures like Prime Minister Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, and industrialists like Gautam Adani and Mukesh Ambani, controlled various aspects of the country's political, institutional, and economic life.