System run by six individuals

Indore: Leader of the Opposition on Saturday attacked the BJP government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying the struggle of students was against a system being run by “six individuals at the top”.

He named PM Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, National Security Adviser Ajit Doval, RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat and industrialists Gautam Adani and Mukesh Ambani. Speaking to students at the ‘Chhatron Ki Goonj’ programme in Indore, Gandhi said the system felt threatened by students because they asked questions.

He said students questioned how Amit Shah’s son became the chairman of a cricket association and how two individuals managed to capture the entire business landscape of India.

“The system feels threatened by students. Why? Because students ask questions,” Gandhi said. He also questioned the functioning of the judiciary and other institutions and asked why the Election Commission was not performing its duties. Gandhi said the system did not want students who questioned its functioning. Instead, he alleged that it wanted “Andhbhakts”, an apparent reference to supporters of the BJP.

“That is why the system does not want students; it wants ‘Andhbhakts’,” Gandhi said. Rahul Gandhi also flagged the issue of lack of hostels for female students and sought answers from PM Modi over the problem being faced by them. He cited the remarks by a female student during his ‘Chhatron Ki Goonj’ event to corner the government.

Gandhi described a student as someone who remains curious and continues to ask questions, while contrasting this with what he called an “andhbhakt”. “While a student asks questions and remains curious, an andhbhakt lives in a delusional world of their own. While a student is fearless, an andhbhakt is a coward,” he added. Gandhi further targeted what he described as the failure to address paper leaks and problems in schools and colleges.

He said an “andhbhakt” would not question why education infrastructure had deteriorated or why examination papers were leaking.