New Delhi: Delhi’s Jantar Mantar witnessed a massive gathering on Friday as thousands of protesters from unreserved categories converged to demand sweeping reforms to India’s caste-based reservation system. Organised under the banner of the ‘Reservation Reform Andolan’, the demonstration also strongly opposed the University Grants Commission’s (UGC) equity regulations and the alleged misuse of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.
The protest drew participation from several organisations, including the ‘General Sena’ and ‘Chanakya Sena’ from Rajasthan, the Karni Sena, and the Akhil Bhartiya Kshatriya Mahasabha. Demonstrators, many carrying saffron flags and banners, demanded that affirmative action policies be based strictly on economic conditions rather than caste criteria.
A primary demand of the agitators was the implementation of a ‘creamy layer’ provision across all existing quotas. Protesters argued that the current framework fails to reach the most disadvantaged sections of society. “Our demand is that economic condition should be considered while deciding who needs government support. A poor person, irrespective of caste, should be provided assistance for education, coaching, and other needs,” said a protester associated with the Akhil Bhartiya Kshatriya Mahasabha.
Demonstrators also voiced their strong opposition to the UGC’s equity regulations, arguing that the norms promote caste-based divisions and hostility on higher education campuses. Additionally, participants called on the central government to issue a white paper reviewing the efficacy of the reservation system decades after its inception. They also demanded strict measures to prevent the legal misuse of the SC/ST Act against innocent individuals.
During the demonstration, participants were seen reciting the Hanuman Chalisa and raising chants of “Siyawar Ramchandra ki Jai.” Prominent social media influencers advocating for general category rights, including Ajeet Bharti, were also in attendance. The organisers firmly rejected online allegations that the crowd was politically funded or mobilised through monetary incentives, stating that it was a spontaneous fight for equality.
The gathering took place amid heavy security deployment, as the Delhi Police stated that no formal permission had been granted for the agitation. Multiple barricades were erected around Jantar Mantar, and personnel from the Delhi Police, the Rapid Action Force (RAF), and the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) were stationed to maintain law and order. According to reports, police briefly detained several protesters as they attempted to move beyond the designated demonstration areas.
Protesters have warned that if the government does not take positive steps to address their demands and initiate a dialogue, the agitation will be expanded nationwide in the coming days.