After Rahul Gandhi's letter, Maharashtra scraps 30-year age limit for tribal hostels

The Maharashtra government on Tuesday announced the removal of the 30-year age limit for admission to tribal hostels, a decision that came after Congress leader Rahul Gandhi wrote to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis drawing attention to the grievances of tribal students. Tribal Affairs Minister Ashok Uike said the condition, which was part of a government resolution issued on August 14, has been cancelled.

"As per the instructions of the tribal MLAs and MPs, we have decided to cancel this condition. There will be no age bar now for admission in tribal hostels," Mr. Uike told reporters on Tuesday.

The move, however, did not end the protest by tribal students in Manjari near Pune, who continued their hunger strike for the 13th day. The students said they would not withdraw their agitation until the government addresses all their demands, including filling 12,500 vacant posts in tribal hostels and providing Rs 1 crore compensation to the families of tribal girls who died in a snake bite incident at Gadchiroli Ashram School.

"We will continue our protest till all our main demands are met," said Nisha Sable, a tribal protester, adding that the girls were also subjected to pregnancy tests after returning from a long vacation. The state government refuted the claim, with Mr. Uike saying, "Nobody should speak this way about their daughters. Nothing like this has happened, or will happen."

The decision sparked a political exchange between the ruling BJP and the Opposition. The BJP advised Mr. Gandhi to visit Congress-governed states to take stock of tribal welfare there. Congress leader Vijay Waddettiwar said if the government does not act on the other demands raised by Mr. Gandhi, the party would seek the Tribal Affairs Minister's resignation. Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar) MLA Rohit Pawar met the protesters and expressed solidarity, saying, "If they are not going to take the demands of the tribal students seriously, what is the point in being in power? The Minister might as well resign then."

In his four-page letter to the Chief Minister, Mr. Gandhi detailed the students' grievances, including the age bar, unsafe hostels, lack of food, sanitation and medical care, and the alleged pregnancy tests. He described the rules as "an attack on their dignity and their humanity" and said the students are not asking for charity but demanding their rights. The letter included a three-page memorandum submitted to him by the protesting students.

The protest in Manjari highlights broader concerns about the condition of tribal hostels, which are crucial for students from remote villages seeking education in cities. While the government has now lifted the age limit, the students have made it clear that their struggle will continue until all their demands are met.