UP Deputy CM Arranges Union Minister Meeting for Protesters

Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak met with a delegation of students from the reservation reform movement in Lucknow on August 22. The meeting followed a demonstration on August 21 at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi, where protesters called for a comprehensive review of caste-based reservation policies despite the Delhi Police denying permission for the gathering.

Pathak announced that the students' demands have been submitted to the central leadership of the Bharatiya Janata Party and that a meeting will be arranged between the delegation and a Union minister within two days. The movement, led by activists Harsh Dubey, Mrityunjay Pathak, and Shiva Sharma, advocates for equal opportunities for all young people.

The agitation has sparked political division. Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav criticized the movement, alleging that the call for reform is a pretext to dilute constitutional safeguards for PDA communities. In contrast, Union Minister Chirag Paswan defended the current system, stating that reservation is a constitutional right rather than charity and cannot be abolished simply because certain groups demand its removal.