New Delhi: The Congress on Wednesday voiced support for candidates protesting alleged irregularities in recruitment exams by the Railways and urged the government to find a solution to their problems through dialogue. Party leader Rahul Gandhi said students were the hope of their families and the country and asserted that if independence can be taken through non violent opposition then why not rights.
"Students, you are the hope of your families and country. I am with you against the policies of the BJP government, on the side of truth, but violence is not our way," Gandhi said in a tweet in Hindi.
"If Independence can be taken through non violent opposition then why not rights?" he said, using the hashtag 'NoFear' and 'NoViolence'.
In another tweet tagging a video of protest by the candidates, he said, "Youth are free to raise their voice for rights. Remind those who have forgotten that India is a democracy. It was a republic, is a republic." Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra condemned the "repression" of candidates for Non-Technical Popular Categories (RRB NTPC) and the Level 1 exams and urged the government to find a solution to their problems through dialogue.
She also appealed to protesting job aspirants to keep walking on the path of 'satyagraha' in a peaceful manner, saying there is a lot of power in it.
"No amount of condemnation is enough for the repression of the youth associated with Railway NTPC and Group D examinations," the Congress general secretary said in a tweet in Hindi. "The government should immediately talk to the youth associated with both the examinations and solve their problems," she said. The Congress leader added that the government should put a stop to the action of entering the hostels of students for carrying out searches and damaging property. The arrested students should be released, she demanded, adding that the order barring aspirants from recruitment for protesting should be withdrawn.