Delhi Police Detain Protesters Opposing Caste-Based Reservations

The Delhi Police detained more than 20 participants and cleared an unauthorized gathering of approximately 300 people at Connaught Place on Sunday. The protesters, mobilized via the Instagram-based Reservation Hatao Andolan (RHA) page, demanded a shift from caste-based quotas to economic criteria and the introduction of a creamy-layer criterion to ensure government support reaches the disadvantaged.

Earlier on August 23, police denied permission for a planned protest at Shah Auditorium against the University Grants Commission (UGC) Equity Regulations (2026). Authorities labeled social media videos claiming the event was authorized as false and misleading, noting that prohibitory orders under Section 163 of the BNSS are active in the North District, banning assemblies of five or more people.

These actions follow a series of mobilizations, including a Friday demonstration at Jantar Mantar and a police-approved event at Ramlila Ground. The RHA continues to advocate for a one family, one reservation policy and a review of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. Simultaneously, the Government of India informed the Supreme Court of India that it is reconsidering the UGC equity regulations, which the court had previously kept in abeyance on January 29 after describing the provisions as prima facie vague.