Maharashtra Government Scraps Tribal Hostel Age Limit Amid Political Pressure

The Maharashtra government has scrapped the 30 year age limit for admission to tribal hostels. This decision follows a letter from Congress leader Rahul Gandhi to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and protests by tribal students in Pune. Tribal Affairs Minister Ashok Uike announced that the condition, which was part of a government resolution issued on August 14, has been cancelled. Despite this move, some protesting students in Manjari have continued their hunger strike, demanding that the government fill 12,500 vacancies and provide compensation to families of students who died in snake bite incidents. The government has denied allegations made by protesters that female students were forced to undergo pregnancy tests.

Simultaneously, the BJP has moved to strengthen its Mahayuti alliance with the Shiv Sena and the NCP. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis convened a coordination committee meeting to rebuild trust and ensure that alliance partners are consulted on governance matters. The parties agreed that leaders would not criticize each other publicly and that local body elections would be contested jointly. Additionally, the government plans to complete appointments to 171 state run corporations within a month, likely following a 50:30:20 distribution ratio among the BJP, Shiv Sena, and NCP.

Reporting on these events differs by political framing. A center leaning source frames the BJP's alliance outreach as a strategic reaction to the growing appeal of Rahul Gandhi among the youth. A center left leaning source focuses on the specific policy reversal regarding tribal hostels and the ongoing conflict between the government and the opposition over tribal rights.