‘Savarna’ Samaj Marches To Raj Bhavan In Bhopal, Demands Withdrawal Of UGC Regulations

In Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, a protest march unfolded on Saturday as Savarna Samaj, in collaboration with UGC Sangharsh Samiti, gathered outside Raj Bhavan to voice concerns over the University Grants Commission's (UGC) recent regulations. Their demand echoed a call for the withdrawal of these new provisions, a transition towards an economic basis for reservation, and a mandatory inquiry process before any action under the SC/ST Act.

The protesters threatened to escalate their protest to Delhi if their demands were unmet. They urged for a thorough review of the new UGC rules and guidelines, emphasizing that any regulations suspected of fostering inequality or discrimination should either be amended or entirely withdrawn. Alongside their demand for a regulatory overhaul, they also advocated for prioritizing economic criteria within the reservation system.

Their ultimate goal was to ensure that resources were channeled towards economically disadvantaged and needy groups in society. The protesters also demanded stringent measures to curb the misuse of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, while simultaneously emphasizing the importance of safeguarding the rights of genuine victims and conducting fair, rule-based investigations into cases involving false or malicious complaints.