Rahul reaches out to Gen Z through Instagram, backs student protest in Jharkhand

NEW DELHI: Flooded with queries on Instagram about his stand on the ongoing Jharkhand students’ protests, Rahul Gandhi on Thursday said every government should try to change an education system that has “collapsed” and is “expensive and oppressive”, be it government of Congress or national government or of Jharkhand.He said students in the country are protesting against a flawed education system.The remark is significant as his party, Congress, is part of the JMM-led governing coalition in Jharkhand. Congress’s state unit and student wing NSUI have already met CM Hemant Soren espousing the cause of students.Rahul replied on Instagram, where he, in a novel youth outreach, opened himself to questions Thursday. Rahul launched a page saying, “Students, Gen-Z - I’m here to listen. Ask me anything on Instagram, and I’ll answer as many questions as I can.”The initiative came a day after Rahul held an interaction with youngsters who were part of the recent NEET agitation in Delhi and other parts of the country, with whom he then held a news conference. The youngsters included Rhiya Ahir whose photo went viral for blocking a Mumbai police van, and Muskaan Sharma, who was the victim of a cop “jabbing a baton in her buttocks” at Jantar Mantar on July 20.As Rahul stood next to the protesters at the news conference, Farah Naaz alleged that in police detention, she faced communal barbs, with a cop even calling her “anti-national”. Muskaan said she was assumed to be a Muslim, which makes an Indian “fair game”, though she is a Hindu. Nutan Toppo said a pellet gun was fired at her.Rahul alleged the governing party is sending goons to the homes of students and forcing them to apologise, with those apologies being subsequently accepted by PM Modi. “ They defended the Constitution and protected the idea of India and its future... They are so young and standing before the media. But PM and home minister (Amit Shah) have no courage to stand before the press,” Rahul said.Get the latest India News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.