No funds for Bahujan education, crores  spent on PM’s foreign tours: Rahul

Leader of Opposition (LOP) in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Monday urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi led NDA-government to reverse its decision of not sending students from backward class to study overseas on scholarship for having no funds.

In a scathing attack on PM Modi, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi alleged when a Dalit, backward or tribal student wants to study – only then the Modi government remembers the budget.

“Out of 106 selected students in the National Overseas Scholarship, 66 deprived students were not given scholarships to study abroad only because the government has no funds," he said.

LOP Rahul took a potshot at the government for having no funds for the students from backward community, while spending crores on the PM Modi’s foreign trips. The attack from the LOP comes at a time when the PM is in midst of his five-nation tour.

“But thousands of crores of rupees are spent without hesitation on Modi ji’s foreign trips, publicity and event planning," Rahul said. The Congress leader urged the government to reverse its decision.

“The Modi government will have to immediately reverse this inhuman decision and send these 66 students abroad.We will not allow this fundamental right to education to be snatched away from the Bahujans," he said.

The former Congress president also targeted the BJP and RSS, while accusing them of creating obstacles for backward class students and hinder their progress. “There is no problem for the children of BJP-RSS leaders to study anywhere – but as soon as a Bahujan student moves forward, the entire system starts creating obstacles," he said.

The Congress MP from Rae Bareli Rahul accused BJP of opposition to backward class education.

“Reducing the number of government schools somewhere, closing the doors of opportunity by unnecessarily saying ‘Not Found Suitable’ somewhere and snatching away scholarships earned through hard work – this is not just injustice, it is BJP’s open opposition to Bahujan education. This Manuvadi thinking is again demanding Eklavya’s thumb today," he said.

India