In second batch, Rahul Gandhi provides 175 smart TVs to tribal students in Wayanad

The Congress leader had given 50 television sets to the Wayanad district administration for tribal children on his 50th birthday (19 June).

File photo | Congress MP Rahul Gandhi at Parliament | Praveen Jain | ThePrint

New Delhi: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has provided 175 smart TVs to be distributed among tribal students in Kerala’s Wayanad to help them join online classes amid the coronavirus lockdown.

This was the second batch of smart TVs provided by the Wayanad MP in his constituency Wednesday. The Congress leader had previously handed 50 television sets to the Wayanad district administration on his 50th birthday (19 June).

The Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan-led government in Kerala has been running virtual classes through an initiative called the ‘First Bell‘. Televised lessons are being imparted to school students through the Victers TV channel in the state.

A month ago, a student in Kerala died by suicide as she was unable to attend online classes during lockdown. Shri @RahulGandhi then promised to assist needy students in Wayanad, his constituency.

Here are 175 Smart TVs, to be distributed to underprivileged students in Wayanad. pic.twitter.com/mwHi5Va1Ek

— Gaurav Pandhi (@GauravPandhi) July 2, 2020

Rahul offered help last month 

The Congress MP had promised to supply electronic devices for underprivileged students after a 14-year-old, Class 9 girl had allegedly committed suicide in Kerala’s Malappuram last month after she was unable to attend online classes due to lack of a smart TV or phone at home.

Gandhi had then written to CM Vijayan drawing his attention to the plight of the large number of tribal students in his constituency who don’t have access to smart devices for online education and unable to benefit from the government’s ‘First Bell’ initiative.

He had requested the Kerala administration to extend necessary support for the underprivileged students to access digital tools.

“While it serves as a temporary alternative, its success depends on students’ access to digital infrastructures like computers, smartphones, cable television and reliable internet connections,” Gandhi wrote in a letter to the CM.

In a separate letter to the district collector last month, the Congress leader also offered his support and assistance towards procurement of devices. Gandhi had sought a list of families who don’t have access to TVs and smartphones.

“This is particularly troubling given the high dropout rates among tribal students in the district. I would be glad to extend my support and assistance towards the procurement of devices for students in underserved communities and request that you share with me details of these communities and their specific requirements,” he wrote to the district collector.