Jantar Mantar Protest Intensifies Amid Caste Reservation Demands The protest against caste-based reservation policies at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar continued well beyond the permitted time, despite Delhi Police issuing a no-objection certificate (NOC) for a gathering of up to 500 people at Ramlila Maidan until 4 pm. Protesters, however, remained at the iconic site, defying the time limit and exceeding the sanctioned number. The movement, organized under the “Reservation Hatao Andolan” (Abolish Reservation Movement), has drawn significant attention for its digital campaign and calls for systemic reform. The Delhi Police initially denied reports of permission for a protest at Jantar Mantar, stating no approval had been granted for any assembly, procession, or demonstration there. However, an official communication from the Deputy Commissioner of Police, Central District, later confirmed that an NOC was issued for a peaceful protest under the “Reservation Hatao Andolan” at Ramlila Ground. The police emphasized that the protest posed no law-and-order concerns, though the venue was later changed to Ramlila Maidan, with the number of participants capped at 500. Protesters criticized the sudden change, arguing it was an attempt to restrict their voice. The “Reservation Hatao Andolan” movement, which gained traction through an Instagram page with 5.6 million followers, has adopted protest-mobilization tactics from the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP). The campaign has called for the abolition of caste-based affirmative action, advocating instead for policies based on economic criteria, disability, orphan status, or being a child of a martyr. Protesters at Jantar Mantar carried banners, posters, and saffron flags, chanting slogans demanding merit-based admissions and employment.#delhi_police #university_grants_commission #cockroach_janta_party #reservation_hatao_andolan #ramlila_maidan
Reservation Protests Intensify in New Delhi Amid Calls for System Overhaul Thousands of demonstrators gathered at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi on August 21, 2026, under the banner of Reservation Hatao Andolan (RHA), a movement demanding sweeping reforms to India’s reservation policy. The protesters, organized through an Instagram page led by activist Harsh Dubey, called for a complete overhaul of the system, arguing that quotas in education and employment should be based solely on income rather than socio-economic categories. They also demanded the government roll back the University Grants Commission’s (UGC) 2026 caste-equity rules, which they claimed exacerbated inequality. The RHA movement gained momentum after Dubey, a student, launched the Instagram page during a broader protest against the resignation of former Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. Following Pradhan’s departure, Dubey handed over control of the page to veteran activists Anuradha Tiwari, Ajeet Bharti, and Neha Das, who have long opposed reservation policies. The protests on August 21 came as the Bharatiya Janata Party-led government reiterated its stance that reservations for Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, and Other Backward Classes were not poverty alleviation measures but tools to ensure representation for historically marginalized communities. The government also announced its rethinking of the 2026 UGC regulations, which had sparked widespread protests in January 2026. On August 20, officials told the Supreme Court that they were reconsidering the rules, which critics argued disproportionately benefited certain caste groups.#harsh_dubey #reservation_hatao_andolan #anuradha_tiwari #ajeet_bharti #neha_das
