A large number of Delhi Police and Rapid Action Force personnel reached Jantar Mantar on Friday evening as hundreds of people gathered to protest against caste-based reservation, demanding that affirmative action be based on economic criteria.
The protest followed a call by “Reservation Hatao Andolan”, an Instagram-based page that urged people to gather at the site. Police said permission had not been granted for the demonstration and deployed heavy security, with personnel stationed at key points and barricades put up around the protest venue.
The protesters, most of them men, carried banners, posters and saffron flags while raising slogans against the existing reservation system. Several participants demanded that economic disadvantage be considered while deciding eligibility for government support.
What Protesters Demanded
“Our demand is that economic condition should be considered while deciding who needs government support. A poor person, irrespective of caste, should be provided assistance for education, coaching and other needs,” a protester associated with the Akhil Bhartiya Kshatriya Mahasabha told PTI.
Some protesters called for the introduction of a “creamy-layer” criterion and changes to policies concerning Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Other Backward Classes.
Participants also sought a review of the existing reservation system, arguing that its benefits did not always reach the most disadvantaged sections.
One protester said the group wanted the government to examine whether the present system was achieving its intended purpose and whether benefits were reaching people at the grassroots level.
Questions Over Reservation
Several protesters questioned the continuation of reservation provisions decades after their introduction, saying social and economic conditions had changed and the framework should be reviewed.
Another participant said the demand was not against support for economically weaker people, but for assistance to be targeted at those who need it through scholarships, fee support and coaching.
The protesters also raised issues relating to the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act and higher education policies, including the University Grants Commission framework.
Police Remove Some Protesters
Police sources said some people who gathered at the site in the morning were removed as no permission had been granted for the demonstration. Personnel also checked people moving towards Jantar Mantar.
Some protesters alleged that internet jammers had been deployed around the site, making it difficult to access social media. The claim could not be independently verified.
The demonstration comes amid continuing debate over caste-based reservation, economic criteria for affirmative action and the application of the creamy-layer principle.
(with agency inputs)
