Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak Saturday assured a student delegation that he would take up their demands over “reservation reform” with the BJP central brass and arrange their meeting with a Union minister in the national capital over the issue.
The “reservation reform” movement, or Reservation Hatao Andolan, is currently being held at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi, seeking a complete overhaul of the reservation system in the country, demanding that public education and employment quotas be solely to an income or economic criteria framework.
In a joint press conference with the delegation, Pathak said, “Our government is with each and every youth. We are committed to fulfilling the dreams of all of them. We will place their demands before the party’s central leadership. In the next two days, we will arrange a meeting of their delegation with a Union minister.”
Efforts would be made through dialogue for resolving the problems of students and their legitimate demands, he added.
A letter had also been received from the delegation, which would be conveyed to the central leadership, the Deputy CM said.
The letter read, “We believe that in the education system that exists at present, some children are very high in merit, while some children are very low. The main issue of our movement is that there should be equal development of intellectual ability among all students, so that equal opportunities can be available in further professional courses. For this, the number of opportunities should be increased, so that no student faces injustice and society benefits.”
Harsh Dubey, a student representative, said, “We are holding a peaceful protest. Our demand is that every youth of the country should get equal opportunities. We have been assured that a meeting would be arranged for us within two days.”
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Harsh, a NEET aspirant, and his businessman brother Abhishek Agnihotri, had led a protest against reservation at Jantar Mantar on Friday.
He gained attention during a television debate where he spoke about reservation and argued that students were failing to qualify due to the marginal difference in marks created by the reservation system. Harsh, who hails from Uttar Pradesh and currently resides in Noida, later posted videos on his social media accounts calling for a protest in demand of reforms in the reservation system.
On August 2, he announced that he would sit at Jantar Mantar alone after obtaining permission from the Delhi Police. However, his request was turned down by the authorities citing the imposition of Section 163 of the BNSS that pertains to preventive orders to stop nuisance, danger or public disorder. He also announced plans to launch a reservation reform movement after a social media page with the name of ‘Reservation Hatao Andolan’ was created.
Bhupendra Pandey is the Resident Editor of the Lucknow edition of The Indian Express. With decades of experience in the heart of Uttar Pradesh’s journalistic landscape, he oversees the bureau’s coverage of India’s most politically significant state. His expertise lies in navigating the complex intersections of state governance, legislative policy, and grassroots social movements. From tracking high-stakes assembly elections to analyzing administrative shifts in the Hindi heartland, Bhupendra’s reportage provides a definitive lens on the region's evolution.
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Trustworthiness & Accountability Under his stewardship, the Lucknow edition adheres to the strictest standards of factual verification and non-partisan reporting. He serves as a bridge between the local populace and the national discourse, ensuring that regional issues are elevated with accuracy and context. By prioritizing primary-source reporting and on-the-ground verification, he upholds the trust that readers have placed in the Express brand for nearly a century. ... Read More
