NASIK: Maharashtra Congress president Harshwardhan Sapkal on Tuesday accused the BJP-led Mahayuti government of ignoring the demands of tribal students who have been protesting and fasting in Nashik for nearly three weeks. He demanded that the state government hold a special Cabinet meeting in Nashik and immediately approve all the pending demands of the students.

Taking a sharp swipe at the government, Sapkal said, “Fadnavis government’s assurances are like labadagharch jevan”—a Marathi expression implying false or unreliable assurances—and claimed that there was little reason for the protesting students to trust them.

Sapkal, along with Congress Legislature Party leader Vijay Wadettiwar and Tribal Congress national president Dr Vikrant Bhuria, visited the protest site in Nashik and interacted with the students. The Congress leaders announced their party’s support for the ongoing agitation and the proposed march.

Sapkal alleged that the Tribal Development Department had become a “hub of corruption” and that funds meant for tribal welfare schemes were not reaching students. Claiming that 892 tribal students had died over the past two years, he held the state government responsible and demanded the resignation of Tribal Development Minister Ashok Uike over the alleged administrative failures in the department.

He also alleged irregularities in the implementation of the roster system and demanded that they be rectified. The quality of food being served to tribal students must be improved, while the central kitchen system should be scrapped immediately, he said.

According to Sapkal, the government ignored the students’ demands for days but suddenly began claiming that their demands had been accepted after Congress leader Rahul Gandhi raised the issue at the ‘Chhatron Ki Goonj’ programme in Pune. He alleged that the government was acting in haste ahead of Gandhi’s scheduled visit to Nashik on September 2.

“Nashik has a significant tribal population. The government should hold a special Cabinet meeting here and take concrete decisions on all the issues raised by tribal students,” Sapkal said.

Responding to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis’ criticism of Rahul Gandhi’s ‘Chhatron Ki Goonj’ campaign, Sapkal said the BJP was rattled by the campaign. He alleged that “lying repeatedly has become the style of the BJP and Devendra Fadnavis” and said the campaign had clearly disturbed the government.

Sapkal said similar protests by tribal students were underway in Pune, Nagpur, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar and other parts of Maharashtra. The Congress, he said, would meet representatives of these movements and extend its support to their demands.

Wadettiwar and Dr Bhuria also criticised the alleged corruption in the Tribal Development Department and accused the state government of failing to address the grievances of tribal students.