“If There Is Money for Diyas, Why Not for Girls’ Hostels?” Rahul Gandhi Questions Government
Opposition Leader highlights accommodation, safety and financial challenges faced by female students pursuing higher education
New Delhi: Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi has raised concerns over the shortage of safe and affordable hostel facilities for female students, questioning the government’s spending priorities.
Gandhi raised the issue following his interaction with students during the Chhatron Ki Goonj programme in Indore on September 19. He referred to a question from a female student who had moved from a village to the city to pursue higher education but was unable to find suitable hostel accommodation.
According to Gandhi, the student said that she had to stay in a private paying guest accommodation because of the lack of hostel facilities. She highlighted the high cost of accommodation, concerns about safety and the continuing pressure of monthly rent.
Gandhi subsequently raised the matter in a social media post and asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi to respond to the student’s concerns. He also claimed that some female students are forced to discontinue their education because of difficulties in finding affordable and secure accommodation.
Gandhi also questioned the adequacy of housing allowances for students, claiming that such support has not kept pace with inflation and alleging that corruption further affects the assistance available to students. These are claims made by Gandhi and have not been independently established in the reports cited here.
The hostel issue was one of several concerns raised during the Indore edition of Chhatron Ki Goonj, where students discussed education, employment, competitive examinations, recruitment examinations, scholarships and other challenges.
Gandhi has also previously visited education and coaching centres including Kota, Pune, Prayagraj and Dehradun to interact with students and discuss issues concerning education and employment, according to reports surrounding his student outreach programme.
The latest remarks have brought renewed attention to the availability of affordable student accommodation, particularly for young women moving from rural areas to cities for higher education.