‘She was our only hope,’ says mother of NEET victim:Rahul Gandhi calls family; dreams of medical career left unfulfilled

Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi spoke to the parents of Akanksha Chaturvedi, a student from Mauganj in Madhya Pradesh who died by suicide after allegedly being distressed over the NEET paper leak. On Friday, Dr Vikrant Bhuria, National President of Adivasi Congress, shared a video of the conversation on Facebook. During the call, Rahul Gandhi told Akanksha’s mother, “Please tell me if I can help you in any way.” Responding to him, she said, “You yourself are protecting the country. What I have lost will not come back.” Conversation between Rahul Gandhi and Akanksha’s Mother Akanksha’s Mother: Hello! Rahul Gandhi: Hello! Akanksha’s Mother: Hello Sir! Rahul Gandhi: Namaskar! Today I was going to the airport. I read your daughter’s letter and felt very sad. That’s why I called you, if there’s any help or work I can do for you, I will. Akanksha’s Mother: What can I say to you? You yourself are protecting the country. What I have lost, will not come back. Rahul Gandhi: Yes, I saw… poor thing, it wasn’t her fault, she didn’t do anything wrong. She just studied. You took a loan. Akanksha’s Mother: The greatest sorrow is that she worked so hard. Perhaps if this paper hadn’t leaked, this wouldn’t have happened. We don’t have anyone else. She was our only support. Her father relied on her, I relied on her. Rahul Gandhi: I saw it in the letter. She felt that she had ruined you. You had taken a loan. She ruined you. Meaning, how much pain and sorrow that poor girl must have felt. Akanksha’s Mother: Now you can read the letter and think for yourself. When she wrote something like that, how must her parents have gotten her to that point. Rahul Gandhi: You put in all your hard work. She felt that her entire dream was shattered just like that. Akanksha’s Mother: Yes, it was completely shattered. She used to say that she got good marks. If my paper hadn’t leaked, I would have become a doctor, because I was the eldest girl in my house. My son is younger, he can’t do anything. He hasn’t even graduated yet. Her father is not even in a state to say anything. He can’t even drink water with his own hand. Rahul Gandhi: Did he have a paralytic attack? Akanksha’s Mother: He had surgery for two attacks. He also suffered paralysis. His right hand doesn’t work. Rahul Gandhi: I wanted to call you. If there’s anything suitable for me, please inform the NSUI people. (Meanwhile, Akanksha’s great-uncle, Hanuman Prasad Chaturvedi, spoke to Rahul Gandhi. He said – Two and a half lakh rupees have been received through you. 50 thousand rupees are expected today.)