The site of the 45-day Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) protests, New Delhi’s Jantar Mantar, witnessed another major gathering on Friday, this time involving a large number of protesters from the unreserved category. The demonstrators, largely from the “upper castes”, protested against the University Grants Commission’s (UGC) equity regulations and called for changes to the caste-based reservation system.
Organised by Reservation Reform Andolan and led by NEET aspirant Harsh Dubey, Friday’s demonstration saw participation from Rajasthan-based General Sena and Chanakya Sena, along with Karni Sena, amid uncertainty over permission for the protest. Influencer Ajeet Bharti, who has been vocal about both issues, also attended.
Videos shared on X by journalists and participants showed protesters reciting the Hanuman Chalisa and chanting “Siyawar Ramchandra Ki Jai”.
Some demonstrators also demanded the withdrawal of the SC/ST Act, arguing that laws should not be misused against individuals and urging the government to take measures to prevent such misuse, Aaj Tak reported.
According to a ground report by UP Tak, India Today Digital’s sister platform, protesters claimed that thousands had gathered at the site, though no official crowd estimate was available.
The demonstration was held amid tight security and restrictions imposed by the Delhi Police. Barricades were placed around Jantar Mantar, while Delhi Police, Rapid Action Force (RAF) and Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) personnel were deployed.
Several social media accounts posting from the protest site claimed that the turnout had disproved suggestions that the demonstration would fail to attract significant participation.
The protest also went ahead despite uncertainty over whether the organisers had received permission to gather at Jantar Mantar.
CONFUSION OVER PROTEST VENUE: JANTAR MANTAR OR RAMLEELA MAIDAN
The demonstration focused on demands for changes to India’s reservation system. Several protesters argued that reservation benefits should instead be linked to economic conditions, while also raising slogans against the UGC norms that have since been stayed.
The uncertainty over the protest venue arose after Delhi Police issued a public notice stating that office-bearers of the Reservation Hatao Andolan had been informed through official communication and were asked to follow “lawful instructions” and maintain peace.
Despite this, organisers and protesters remained determined to hold the demonstration at Jantar Mantar rather than relocate elsewhere.
Anti-reservation activist Abhinay Pandey said on X that the protesters were already at Jantar Mantar and intended to remain there.
Harsh Dubey alleged that people trying to join the demonstration were being stopped outside the venue. He also claimed that organisers had spent hours negotiating with police before being asked to move the protest to Ramlila Maidan, according to UP Tak.
Permission was subsequently granted for the demonstration to take place at Jantar Mantar, the designated protest area in the national capital.
WILL LEAVE ONLY AFTER SUBMITTING MEMORANDUM TO PM: HARSH DUBEY
In another video, Harsh Dubey said the protesters would stay at Jantar Mantar until they could submit a memorandum to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
“We will sit here and will leave only after submitting our memorandum to Narendra Modi,” he said. Dubey said the main demand was for reforms that would ensure reservation benefits reached those who genuinely required them.
Prateek Pandey, associated with the Reservation Hatao Mission, also posted on X arguing that reservation should be determined by economic circumstances rather than caste. He claimed people had travelled from across the country to participate despite being stopped or redirected at different points.
He further argued that economically well-off families should not continue receiving the same reservation benefits while poorer sections remained in need of government assistance.
Some protesters claimed they were initially directed towards Ramlila Maidan before returning to Jantar Mantar. One participant from Rajasthan’s Alwar said around 40 people from his group had gone to Ramlila Maidan after being directed there but later returned to Jantar Mantar.
DISCRIMINATION AGAINST PROTESTERS WRONG: MOHANDAS PAI
The dispute over permission also prompted political commentary. Author and commentator Anand Ranganathan compared the Delhi Police’s handling of the reservation reform demonstration with the CJP protests. In a post on X, he alleged that permission had been granted to what he described as “Modi-hating anarchists” after three hours of requests, while “Modi-loving nationalists” had allegedly been denied permission despite seeking it for 30 days.
Mohandas Pai, chairperson of venture capital firm Aarin Capital and former Infosys CFO, responded to Ranganathan’s post and criticised what he described as discrimination against the protesters.
The demonstrators, meanwhile, maintained that their movement would remain peaceful. One protester told UP Tak that those gathered were “nationalist protesters” who had come to raise their demands and not to engage in violence.
Friday’s Jantar Mantar demonstration followed weeks of online mobilisation led by Harsh Dubey. The campaigns seeking changes to the reservation system and opposing the now-stayed UGC equity regulations gained momentum following the CJP-led agitation, with influencers including Ajeet Bharti, Anand Ranganathan and Anuradha Tiwari helping amplify the debate.
