Rahul Gandhi meets Maharashtra tribal students in Nashik

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi met with a delegation of tribal students from Maharashtra on September 2, 2026, in Nashik, expressing his support for their ongoing agitation for improved hostel facilities, reservations, and other rights. The meeting occurred during a day-long visit to the city, where Gandhi also addressed a party training camp and interacted with newly appointed district leaders. The students, who had been protesting since August 13, had recently concluded a hunger strike in Pune after receiving written assurances from the state government. Their demands include better food quality, sanitation, and safety in government-run tribal hostels, as well as the reinstatement of dismissed employees under the Panchayats Extension to Scheduled Areas Act (PESA). They are also seeking the immediate recruitment process for 12,500 vacant tribal posts and compensation for the families of three tribal girls who died of snake bites at an ashram school in Gadchiroli. Gandhi, the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, stated in a post on X that he met the students to hear their demands.