Check tribal hostels in Congress-ruled States first: BJP to Rahul Gandhi

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Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi. File | Photo Credit: PTI

The BJP has hit out at Rahul Gandhi after he wrote to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis about concerns over tribal students in Maharashtra, saying he should first examine tribal welfare departments and hostels in Congress-ruled Telangana and Karnataka.

The ruling party accused Mr. Gandhi of following a pattern of "doing wrong first, then creating noise when action is taken", and said the Maharashtra government was capable of protecting tribal communities and students.

It also claimed that some tribal schools in Maharashtra, against which students have been protesting, are run by Congress leaders and accused Mr. Gandhi of shielding them.

Mr. Gandhi on Monday (August 24, 2026) urged CM Fadnavis to look into the problems of tribal students in Maharashtra who have been on a hunger strike for the last 10 days against an age limit and alleged "humiliating rules" in State-run hostels.

The Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, in a letter to Mr. Fadnavis, asked him to meet the protesting tribal students personally and resolve their problems at the earliest, including relaxing harsh conditions like enforcing the age limit of 30 years for staying in government hostels.

Hitting back, the Maharashtra BJP, in a post on X late Monday (August 24) night, said Mr. Gandhi should first look at the functioning of tribal welfare departments and hostels in Telangana and Karnataka, where his party is in power, and accused him of trying to protect Congress leaders associated with tribal schools in Maharashtra.

मुख्यमंत्री @Dev_Fadnavis जी, महाराष्ट्र के अनेक आदिवासी छात्र 10 दिनों से अधिक से अपने अधिकारों के लिए भूख हड़ताल पर हैं। पुणे में 'छात्रों की गूंज' के दौरान छात्राओं ने बताया कि छात्रावासों में 30 वर्ष की अनावश्यक उम्र सीमा, अपमानजनक नियम, असुरक्षित सुविधाएं और महिलाओं के लिए… pic.twitter.com/mzoIrscyYD

"Rahul Gandhi, we don't expect fair or well-researched views from you, but here are some facts the public should know," it said.

The tribal schools in Maharashtra against which students are protesting are run by Congress leaders, the ⁠BJP alleged.

"A few days ago, three young girls died at a school whose director, Marotrao Kowase, is a former Congress MP. His son, Vishwajeet Kowase, is the Gadchiroli District Congress Committee president and the school’s secretary," it claimed.

The party also referred to an inspection at an ashram school (residential school) in Yavatmal, where girls' bathrooms allegedly had no doors. The school is run by Vasant Purke, a former Minister and Congress leader, the BJP claimed.

"When Congress was in power, it wrongly took control of these schools and misused them," the BJP alleged, accusing the Opposition party leaders of exploiting tribal communities.