Over 20 Detained as 300 Stage Anti-Reservation Protest at Connaught Place
Around 300 people assembled at the outer circle of Connaught Place in New Delhi on Sunday to stage a demonstration against the caste-based reservation system and demand substantial changes to the existing quota framework. The unauthorized gathering led to police intervention, with officials detaining more than 20 protesters.
According to police officials, the demonstration at Connaught Place was organized and carried out without obtaining prior permission from the authorities. Because no official clearance had been granted for the public gathering, police personnel moved in to disperse the crowd, detained more than 20 people, and removed them from the demonstration venue. A visible police presence was subsequently maintained around Connaught Place while the site was cleared to prevent further disruption.
Throughout the demonstration, the participants raised slogans and held up placards to draw attention to their calls for policy reform. Protesters argued that greater weight should be given to economic criteria when authorities decide eligibility for reservation benefits and government assistance. They stated that state support should primarily reach economically disadvantaged individuals across society, regardless of their caste background.
A key demand raised by the gathering was the implementation of a creamy-layer criterion and a comprehensive review of the entire reservation system currently in place. The demonstrators specifically sought policy changes regarding quotas and provisions related to Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, and Other Backward Classes.
Explaining the motive behind the Connaught Place gathering, protesters maintained that they were not advocating for the complete abolition of affirmative action. Instead, they stressed the need for structural updates to make the system more equitable. One of the core messages voiced by the protesters during the event was, "We are not against reservation. We want reforms in reservation."
