Sonia Gandhi writes to PM, seeks free education for kids orphaned during pandemic

She said the nation owes it to children to give them hope and provide a robust future after their tragedy

Amid several children losing both their parents or earning parent to the Covid-19 pandemic, Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Thursday shot off a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi urging him to provide free education to such children orphaned after the "unimaginable tragedy".

The nation owes it to them to give them hope for a robust future after they encountered this tragedy, she said.

Sonia suggested that these children could be provided free education at the Navodaya Vidhyalayas, which she described as former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi's "most significant legacies".

Her letter came on a day before the 30th death anniversary of Rajiv, who was assassinated in Sriperumpadoor on 21 May, 1991 during the Lok Sabha election campaign.

"Amidst the devastation caused by the pandemic and the heart wrenching tragedies being faced by affected families, news of young children losing one or both parents to Covid-19 are the most poignant. These children are left with the trauma of loss and no support towards a stable education or future," she said in the letter.

She said it was Rajiv's dream to make high-quality modern education accessible and affordable to talented youth, predominantly from rural areas and there are now 661 Navodaya Vidhyalas across the country.

Also read: Children orphaned by Covid-19 can become victims of trafficking and abuse: Save the Children

“I am writing to request you to consider providing a free education at the Navodaya Vidhyalayas to children who have lost either both parents or an earning parent on account of the Covid-19 pandemic. I feel that as a nation, we owe it to them to give them hope for a robust future after the unimaginable tragedy that has befallen them," she added.

Separately, Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra wrote to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath asking him to take public welfare steps such as ensuring that private hospitals do not overcharge people, inflation is reined in and relief given to traders.

She said the middle class was reeling under the impact of the pandemic and people have had to bear "unbearable pain" due to the "lack" of preparation on the part of the administration.

"The mayhem in April-May has made it clear that the government had no planning. Many unnecessary rules and red-tapism brought a mountain of problems for the people," she said.