Rahul Gandhi visits Kerala school, urges girl students to be financially, psychologically independent

On a two-day visit to poll-bound Kerala, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday urged girl students to be independent, especially financially and psychologically. "The most important thing for you is your independence. That you are not dependent and you have to be able to try and survive on your own. that will include financial and psychological independence," Gandhi, who arrived here today, said interacting with students of the government girls higher secondary vocational school here.

Society does not like girls and women to be independent, the Congress leader said. "So you have an added responsibility of becoming independent and helping other sisters to become so," he said, adding humility and respect for others would help them in good stead. He said there will be opportunities and disadvantages in life and it was essential that one makes use of the advantages which come their way.

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As youngsters, he said the students should open the doors of knowledge around them. Senior congress leaders Oommen Chandy, heading a 10-member state election panel constituted by the AICC, Leader of Opposition in the state assembly, Ramesh Chennithala and KPCC president, Mullapally Ramachandran and leaders of Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), a key partner of the UDF, among others, received him at Karipur airport. Assembly elections in Kerala are likely in April-May.