Hunger Strike Enters 12th Day
The indefinite hunger strike by tribal students at the government tribal hostel in Hadapsar's Manjari entered its 12th day on Monday, with protesters continuing their agitation over the state government's hostel rules and a wider set of demands concerning education, safety, employment, and welfare, as reported by the Free Press Journal.
The agitation began on August 13, after the Tribal Development Department issued a Government Resolution (GR) on August 5 introducing an upper age limit for students residing in government tribal hostels. Students said the new rules were particularly unfair to tribal students, many of whom face financial difficulties, delayed entry into higher education, and interruptions in their academic journeys.
The original GR prescribed an upper age limit of 26 years for hostel residents. Following protests, the government subsequently increased the limit to 30 years and removed provisions restricting students from participating in protests and approaching the media. However, students at Manjari said several of their concerns remain unresolved.
Key Demands
Beyond the age cap, the protesters have articulated a broader set of demands, as detailed by the Free Press Journal. These include compensation of ₹1 crore for each of the three families of tribal girls who died after snakebites at an ashramshala in Gadchiroli, along with accountability for those responsible. The students are also demanding insurance coverage for students studying in tribal hostels and ashramshalas.
Concerns over hostel infrastructure and commuting difficulties were also raised. The hostel's distance from colleges in Pune forces some students to spend several hours traveling every day, and the protesters are demanding better-located accommodation. Additionally, students questioned the reported requirements concerning pregnancy tests for female hostel residents, demanding dignity and privacy in the implementation of hostel rules.
Recruitment issues are also central to the protest. The students are demanding action on the recruitment of around 12,500 posts reserved for tribal candidates, along with other vacant posts. They are also seeking implementation of pending recruitment processes and action concerning PESA employees who were relieved from service.
Student quotes captured by the Free Press Journal highlight the personal stakes. Neha, a protesting student, said, "We want the government to take responsibility for the safety and future of tribal students. Our demand is that every student in tribal hostels and ashramshalas should get proper insurance and safe educational facilities." Snehal, another student, asked, "Many tribal students depend completely on government hostels to continue their education. If we are removed because of age limit, where will we go?"
Political Intervention
The issue has drawn political attention. On August 22, Nisha Sabale, a tribal student from the Manjari hostel, raised the matter during Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's 'Chhatron Ki Goonj' interaction in Pune, according to the Free Press Journal. She told Gandhi that students had been on hunger strike for days and that their grievances had not been adequately addressed. She also highlighted the participation of girl students in the agitation, including one who was reportedly hospitalised after her health deteriorated.
"Students have been protesting for the last several days, but the government is not listening to us," Sabale said, while demanding that the age restriction for government tribal hostels be withdrawn. She further stated, "If you cannot work for the development of tribal students, then you have no right to sit in that chair."
The Times of India reported that Gandhi subsequently wrote an open letter to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, asking him to meet the protesting adivasi students. In the letter, posted on his social media account, Gandhi stated that the new government rules for adivasi student hostels "strip them of their dignity and shut off their path to education." He highlighted unsafe hostels in the state that "often lack food, sanitation and medical care. Students have suffered injuries and deaths, including from snake bites. Facilities for women are worse still."
Gandhi also cited the pregnancy test requirement, writing, "I was shocked to learn that female students returning after an extended absence must undergo pregnancy tests and a range of other medical tests, to prove their virtue." He called the rule "an attack on their dignity and their humanity" and said, "These students are not asking for charity. They are demanding what is theirs by right."
During his Pune visit last week, Gandhi met some tribal students who informed him about their problems, and he assured them of help to highlight their issues. The Times of India also reported that Gandhi offered to visit the protesters and join their agitation, and that he was expected to visit Maharashtra again during the coming weekend to attend a Congress workers training camp in Nashik.
According to The Times of India, the protesting students had earlier written to Gandhi seeking his help, demanding that two state GRs issued on August 5 and 14 this year be cancelled. They also demanded that the GR of November 2011 be updated according to present circumstances and that financial assistance be increased.
Local Political Support
NCP (SP) MLA Rohit Pawar visited the protesting students at Manjari on Sunday, met the hunger strikers, heard their demands, and joined them during the protest march on JM Road, as reported by the Free Press Journal. Pawar said, "We have spoken with the Tribal Development Minister, and a meeting with government representatives is expected to take place to discuss the students' demands." He referred to the minister as "Magical Development Minister" in the report.
Despite the political attention, students have made it clear that they want concrete decisions rather than assurances.