Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi on Saturday described Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation as a "victory" for students, while holding Home Minister Amit Shah responsible for the use of force against protesters in Delhi. He said the issue would be raised in Parliament.
Gandhi also accused the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) of weakening and "capturing" India's education system, arguing that it had been systematically hollowed out over the years.
He said the Centre must now move beyond Pradhan's resignation and undertake meaningful reforms to restore the education system.
"Our education system has been hollowed out from within. So, deep steps will have to be taken. I don't think they can take these, but let's see," he said at a media briefing just after the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) called off its agitation at Jantar Mantar after the government met two of their remaining demands of Rs 1 crore compensation to families of students who committed suicide due to paper leaks and assurance of no legal action against protesters.
PM Modi should apologise, take action over lathicharge: Rahul
"The students had two more demands. They should not be forgotten. The first demand is that action should be taken against both the implementers and organisers who attacked, assaulted, and beat the students, and that action should be visible. The students should see that these people have been punished for this reason. Secondly, the main operator of the system, Narendra Modi ji, should apologise to the students of India," Gandhi said.
Calling Pradhan a symbol of corruption, incompetence and the decline of the education system, Gandhi said the resignation was necessary but only the first step. According to him, lasting change would require structural reforms to rebuild public confidence in the country's education system.
'We will support, protect students of India'
Rahul Gandhi thanked the students for leading the movement and assured them of the Congress party's continued support, saying it would stand by them whenever needed to safeguard their rights and future.
He said the Congress had backed the protests wholeheartedly and would continue to support students in their fight for a better education system. Framing the movement as a contest between the country's future and what he described as the politics of the past, Gandhi expressed confidence that the aspirations of India's youth would ultimately prevail.
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