Darbhanga: As Bihar prepares for the upcoming assembly elections, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi will visit the state on Thursday with a strong focus on Dalit outreach, youth engagement, and the issues of migration, education, and employment. He will launch the ‘Shiksha Nyay Samvad’ (Education Justice Dialogue) program from Darbhanga, aiming to connect with Dalit students and raise concerns about the education system.
Rahul Gandhi had initially planned to hold the program at Ambedkar Hostel, but due to denial of permission, the event was shifted to Nagar Bhawan in Darbhanga. During his visit, he will interact with students from Dalit and backward communities, highlighting Congress’s push for social justice in education and jobs.
Congress to launch ‘Shiksha Nyay Samvad’ campaign
‘Shiksha Nyay Samvad’ campaign will be held across 75 locations in Bihar, led by more than 60 national-level Congress leaders. These leaders will visit colleges, universities, and hostels to talk to students, especially those from marginalised backgrounds.
Through this initiative, Congress aims to highlight issues such as delays in academic sessions, leaked question papers, and the weak education infrastructure in the state.
Core demands of Congress
The campaign revolves around five main points:
- Remove the 50% cap on reservation: Congress wants reservation benefits to reflect the population of backward communities and has demanded the removal of the Supreme Court-mandated 50% limit.
- Implement sub-plans for SCs and STs: Congress is demanding proper implementation of welfare schemes for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes under Articles 46 and 47 of the Constitution, ensuring access to education, jobs, health, and social security.
- Improve education infrastructure: The party is demanding better facilities and resources in schools and colleges across Bihar.
- “Jobs, not loans”: Congress leaders are criticizing the central government’s policies that offer loans instead of guaranteed employment, and are asking for direct job creation.
- End delays in degree completion: Due to delays in exams and results, students are taking four to five years to complete three-year degrees. Congress is demanding timely conduct of university exams.
Rahul Gandhi’s Patna visit
After the Darbhanga program, Rahul Gandhi will head to Patna, where he will meet representatives of civil society groups, especially those linked with EBC (Extremely Backward Class) and Dalit communities. He is also scheduled to watch the film “Phule”, which is based on the lives of social reformers Jyotiba Phule and Savitribai Phule. Watching the movie with social justice activists is seen as a symbolic step to underline Congress’s focus on caste equality and justice.
Jyotiba Phule is a widely respected figure among Dalits and backward communities, including in Bihar, even though he belonged to Maharashtra. His ideology has also influenced leaders like Kanshi Ram, the founder of the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP).
