No funds for Bahujan education, crores spent on PM's foreign tours: Rahul's potshot over scholarship denial

Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi On Monday urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led NDA government to reverse its decision of not sending students from backward classes abroad on scholarships due to insufficient funds.

In a scathing attack on PM Modi, Rahul Gandhi alleged that whenever a Dalit, backward, or tribal student wants to study overseas, the Modi government suddenly remembers the budget constraints.

"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. 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 be snatched away from the Bahujans," he said.

He also targeted 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.

"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 added.