JAIPUR: Jaipur police on Monday lathi-charged activists of the Rashtriya Rajput Karni Sena during a protest against the University Grants Commission’s (UGC) Promotion of Equity in Higher Education Institutions Regulations, 2026.The protesters were demanding withdrawal of the regulations, alleging that the guidelines were biased against upper-caste students, news agency PTI reported.The protest march, led by Karni Sena president Mahipal Singh Makrana, was held in Jaipur as part of the organisation’s wider agitation against the UGC regulations.
Protesters clash with police
The latest confrontation came after police attempted to stop the protesters from proceeding towards the Collectorate Circle.Earlier, police had erected barricades at Kalwar Bridge to halt the march.Protesters removed the barricades and attempted to move forward, leading to a confrontation with police personnel, PTI reported.Similar scenes were reported at Chomu Pulia, where demonstrators pushed past barricades amid light rain.Police subsequently used water cannons and lathi-charge to disperse the protesters and control the crowd.Deputy commissioner of police (West) Prashant Kiran was also caught in the jostling during the confrontation, police said.Some protesters attempted to climb onto a water cannon vehicle as police tried to push back the crowd.An ambulance passing through the area was briefly caught in the rally but was later allowed to pass, PTI reported.Despite the police action, a large number of protesters continued towards the Collectorate Circle, where they planned to submit a memorandum to the district administration.
What are Karni Sena protesters demanding?
The agitation is centred on the UGC Promotion of Equity in Higher Education Institutions Regulations, 2026, which seek to address caste-based discrimination and strengthen mechanisms for ensuring equal opportunities in higher educational institutions.The regulations were notified on January 13, replacing the older 2012 guidelines with a framework intended to make anti-discrimination provisions more stringent.However, general category groups have opposed the regulations, claiming that they could be misused against upper-caste students and demanding safeguards against allegedly false cases.The Supreme Court subsequently stayed the implementation of the proposed regulations on January 29, amid the protests and opposition to the framework.
Karni Sena’s 24-day agitation
The Jaipur protest is part of the Savarna Nyay Yatra, which began nearly 24 days ago.Makrana had initially led a march from Jaipur towards Deshnok in Bikaner district.The mobilisation later returned to Jaipur, where activists continued their agitation despite reports that Makrana had fallen ill during the journey.Police said additional personnel were deployed across the city and the situation remained under watch.(With agency inputs)
