Guwahati (Assam) [India], July 19 : The Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) on Sunday held a press conference at Rajiv Bhawan in Guwahati in support of Lok Sabha Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi's nationwide "Chatro Ki Gunj" campaign, alleging that students across the country are facing mounting mental stress due to the Centre's education policies.
Addressing the media, Congress MLA Abdur Rahim alleged that repeated examination paper leaks under the BJP-led government had undermined students' futures and questioned the accountability of the Union Education Ministry.
He claimed that despite multiple paper leak incidents in major examinations, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan had not resigned, alleging that the Centre had failed to uphold moral responsibility.
Drawing a historical comparison, Rahim referred to former Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri's resignation as Railway Minister following a train accident, saying the present government lacked similar accountability. He also said Rahul Gandhi had consistently raised issues concerning students and urged people to unite against what he described as policies affecting the education sector.
Rahim further criticised the reported removal of environmentalist Sonam Wangchuk from his protest site and alleged restrictions on his movement, describing the government's actions as undemocratic.
Former MLA Satyabrata Kalita criticised the condition of Assam's government education system, alleging shortages of teachers, delays in textbook distribution and poor-quality school uniforms.
He also questioned the state's healthcare infrastructure, alleging that medical colleges lacked adequate doctors, nurses and staff and claimed that personnel were temporarily shifted between institutions during inspection visits.
Kalita further alleged that while several flyovers had been constructed in Guwahati, roads beneath them remained in poor condition and the city continued to face waterlogging during rainfall.
He also criticised the arrest of two artists in Guwahati for painting a portrait of Sonam Wangchuk and called on the Assam government to dedicate a day during the ongoing Assembly session for a detailed discussion on the state's education sector.
Chairing the press conference, APCC Media Department Chairman Bedabrata Bora expressed concern over what he described as the growing commercialisation of education. He said the existing system placed excessive pressure on students to secure high marks while disadvantaging meritorious students from ordinary and economically weaker backgrounds.
Bora said educational institutions should focus on creating a supportive and mentally secure environment instead of encouraging a race for marks.
He also said that after programmes in Kota and Dehradun, Rahul Gandhi would continue interacting with students and unemployed youth through the "Chatro Ki Gunj" campaign to prepare a proposed "Youth Manifesto" aimed at outlining an alternative education and employment policy.