Govt addressing genuine grievances of students, but don't use them for political gains: Fadnavis

Mumbai: Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Tuesday said attempts to use students for political purposes would be countered politically, but genuine grievances of pupils are being addressed through concrete action. He rejected the Congress allegations that tribal students were detained in Mumbai and prevented from raising their grievances.

"The Mumbai police is a professional force and take action accordingly," insisted Fadnavis, who heads the Home department. He emphasised the BJP-led Mahayuti government was "100 per cent" committed to resolving genuine problems faced by students and had already taken decisions in this regard as he cautioned against using pupils for political gains.

Fadnavis on student issues

"If someone is using students for their own leadership or party and doing politics, then politics will be answered with politics. But student issues will be answered through action," Fadnavis told reporters here. "Genuine issues are being addressed by the state government. The government has taken a slew of initiatives and decisions to resolve genuine problems of students and has always adopted a positive stand on their issues," he stressed.

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Fadnavis said students have realised that their genuine demands were being accepted, and alleged that attempts were being made to mislead them. Referring to recent agitations by students, the CM said they were being spearheaded by the National Students' Union of India (NSUI), the Congress's student wing.

"These people are office-bearers of NSUI and are carrying out the agitation. However much they may try, the genuine students have realised that their demands have been accepted. Therefore, it appears that someone is trying to mislead the students from behind," he said.

The Opposition Congress has alleged that several tribal students were detained in Mumbai while seeking to protest over delayed scholarships, lack of basic amenities in ashram schools (residential facilities for adivasi pupils) and hostels, among other grievances.