New Delhi, September 20: Congress leader and Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi has questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the lack of adequate hostel facilities for female students, citing the difficulties faced by a student from a village who moved to Indore for higher education.
Gandhi raised the issue in a post on social media on Sunday, referring to an interaction with a female student during his ‘Chhatron Ki Goonj’ programme in Indore on Saturday.
According to Gandhi, the student told him that she had come to Indore from her village to pursue education but could not find a hostel. As a result, she had to stay in paying guest accommodation, where she faced significant expenses and concerns about safety and monthly rent.
‘Why Not Hostels For Girls?’
Quoting the student, Gandhi said: “The government has money to light diyas — why not for our hostels?”
He used the question to highlight what he described as the financial and accommodation challenges faced by young women who leave their villages to study in cities.
Gandhi further claimed that some girls discontinue their education because they do not have safe and affordable accommodation. He also questioned the adequacy of housing allowances, alleging that they have not kept pace with inflation and are vulnerable to corruption.
Reference To Modi’s Birthday Celebrations
Gandhi’s comments came after large-scale diya-lighting programmes were organised in Madhya Pradesh as part of celebrations around Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s 76th birthday on September 17.
According to media reports, around 3.55 crore diyas were lit across Madhya Pradesh, including more than 33 lakh lamps in Ujjain along the Shipra river ghats and at Mahakal Lok. Gandhi drew a comparison between these celebrations and the shortage of hostel facilities raised by the student.
However, the reports do not establish that funds used for the diya-lighting events were earmarked for student hostels or could directly have been diverted to hostel construction.
Education And Student Concerns
The hostel issue was among several education-related concerns discussed during Gandhi’s Chhatron Ki Goonj programme. Students raised issues involving education, examinations, recruitment, employment and infrastructure.
Gandhi asked Prime Minister Modi to respond to the student’s concerns, particularly regarding accommodation and the financial pressures faced by female students pursuing education away from their homes.
The remarks have added another dimension to the ongoing political debate over student welfare, education infrastructure and government spending priorities.
