System fears students because they ask questions: Rahul Gandhi in Indore

• Rahul Gandhi said the “system fears students because students ask questions” at the Indore event.

• He alleged the system “hates students” and “loves blind followers”.

• Gandhi said students are India’s future and should be encouraged to question institutions.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Saturday said the political and institutional “system” was afraid of students because they questioned authority, while alleging that institutions across the country had been captured by the system.

Addressing the ‘Chhatron Ki Goonj’ programme in Indore, Gandhi said students were willing to question decisions and demand answers, which he claimed made them a threat to those in power.

“Students are a threat to the system because students ask questions,” Gandhi said. He alleged that the system “hates students” and “loves blind followers”.

Gandhi said the country needed to encourage students to question rather than expect them to follow political or institutional authority without scrutiny.

“The system wants blind followers, not students,” he said.

He also alleged that the government wanted citizens who would not question its claims or decisions.

“This government’s system only wants blind followers because blind followers do not ask questions,” Gandhi said, according to the speech.

He contrasted what he described as political claims about India's development with questions being raised by students about schools, infrastructure and examination systems.

Gandhi also referred to questions surrounding the appointment of Union Home Minister Amit Shah's son to a cricket administration body, asking why someone who had not played cricket had been given such a position.

The Congress leader said students were central to the country's future but were currently facing pressure and uncertainty over their prospects.

“Students are the future of India,” Gandhi said, adding that many students were unhappy and unable to see a clear future for themselves.

He said his vision was for an India where students could question institutions and participate freely in public life.

“We want an India of students, not an India of blind followers,” Gandhi said.

The Indore programme was the fifth nationwide edition of ‘Chhatron Ki Goonj’, according to the Congress. The event focused on issues including education, employment, alleged paper leaks and competitive examinations.

Gandhi's visit to Indore was also marked by heightened activity along the route from the airport to the venue. Congress workers and police personnel briefly scuffled as party workers tried to meet him.

The programme drew a large crowd, with Congress claiming around two lakh registrations. Traffic was affected across parts of the city, with congestion stretching for several kilometres ahead of the event.

The Congress has presented the student-focused programmes as an effort to discuss concerns surrounding education, jobs and competitive examinations with young people.

At the Indore event, Gandhi repeatedly returned to the theme of questioning authority, arguing that students should be able to challenge institutions and demand accountability rather than become “blind followers”.