Mayawati calls out ‘casteist mindset’ behind protests against UGC’s equity norms

She also pointed out that broader consultation could have helped avoid social tension. She said it would have been better if all stakeholders had been taken into confidence before implementing the regulations, adding that governments and institutions must remain sensitive to such concerns while framing and enforcing policies.

Mayawati also cautioned Dalits and backward classes against being misled by what she described as “self-serving and corrupt leaders” who make inflammatory statements in the name of social justice. Appealing to these communities to remain vigilant, she said divisive politics should not be allowed to derail genuine efforts aimed at equality and dignity in education.

The UGC (Promotion of Equity in Higher Education Institutions) Regulations, which replace the 2012 equity regulations of the commission, have seen protests by groups, mostly on social media, claiming that these could be used to “harass” general category students and create “caste divisions”. On Tuesday, some students protested outside the UGC office in Delhi seeking the withdrawal of the regulations.

The main objection that has been raised is that there is no provision for penalties in the regulations against “false complaints of discrimination”, and that institutions can be subjected to action for not complying with the regulations.

On Tuesday, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan had said no one would be allowed to misuse the provisions and that “discrimination will not be allowed against anybody”.