Pune Tribal Students Take Hostel Demands to Mumbai as Hunger Strike Enters 11th Day
A group of tribal students from Pune traveled to Mumbai on Monday to meet Maharashtra’s Tribal Development Minister and state leadership, as an indefinite hunger strike over hostel conditions, safety, and government resolutions entered its 11th consecutive day.
What Happened
The hunger strike, which is taking place at the Adivasi Government Boys Hostel near the Hadapsar-Manjari border in Pune, reached its 11th day on August 24, 2026. Six students—Shweta Girnak (26), Nikita Mechkar (22), Sharad Thokal (26), Vijay Bhandble (25), Rahul Dhanwe (26), and Rajaram Padvi (20)—have been actively participating in the fast.
According to Balakrishna Gawari, a student member of the Students Federation of India, a ten-member student delegation scheduled a trip to Mumbai’s Mantralaya to present their grievances directly to Adivasi Tribal Minister Prof. Dr. Ashok Ramaji Uike. The representatives also expressed their intent to meet with Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.
The delegation had earlier held discussions with Minister Uike on August 18 and met with the Additional Commissioner of Tribal Development alongside other administrative officials on August 22, before organizing the latest visit to Mumbai.
Key Highlights
- Continuation of Fast: Six students remained on an ongoing hunger strike at the Pune hostel facility.
- Policy Review Requests: Protesters are seeking the cancellation of the August 14, 2026 Government Resolution (GR) on tribal hostels and requesting an updated directive based on the earlier November 11, 2011 GR that accounts for current economic conditions and inflation.
- Inflation-Linked Allowances: Students demanded that their financial provisions and student allowances be formally tied to the Consumer Price Index for yearly upward revisions.
- Safety and Insurance: The agitation follows an incident in Gadchiroli where three tribal students died from snake poisoning. The students have demanded ₹1 crore in compensation for each victim’s family, enhanced physical safety across hostels and ashram schools, and a ₹1 crore insurance policy for tribal students.
- Infrastructure and Staffing: The list of demands includes a secure, well-equipped central hostel facility for female students in Pune, as well as the immediate filling of vacant positions—such as sanitation workers, security guards, and peons—either through regular hiring or on a temporary contractual basis.
Why This Matters
The demonstration brings attention to welfare provisions, institutional staffing, and physical safety standards across tribal hostels and ashram schools in Maharashtra. By linking student demands directly to policy resolutions, safety measures, and inflation-indexed stipends, the ongoing protest highlights systemic challenges in the management of state-run welfare accommodations.
What to Watch Next
Attention now shifts to the scheduled talks at Mantralaya between the ten-member student delegation and Minister Ashok Ramaji Uike, alongside any potential audience granted by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. The outcome of these discussions will determine whether administrative revisions or policy reassurances lead to an end to the fast in Pune.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why are the tribal students in Pune protesting?
The students are protesting over hostel amenities, staffing vacancies, safety concerns following a fatal snakebite incident in Gadchiroli, and the terms of recent government resolutions governing tribal hostel operations and allowances.
What are the primary policy demands regarding allowances?
The students are calling for the withdrawal of the August 14, 2026 Government Resolution, the issuance of a revised order based on the November 11, 2011 GR with inflation-adjusted provisions, and regular allowance adjustments indexed to the Consumer Price Index.
Who are the students attempting to meet in Mumbai?
The delegation scheduled meetings with Adivasi Tribal Minister Prof. Dr. Ashok Ramaji Uike at Mantralaya and sought an appointment to convey their demands to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.
Source: Reported by The Hindu.