Kalraj Mishra Seeks Review Of UGC Rules As Protests Spread From Lucknow To Varanasi, BJP Office Bearers Quit, Bareilly City Magistrate Suspended

Lucknow: Senior BJP leader and former governor Kalraj Mishra’s demand for a review of the newly implemented UGC rules has brought growing unease within the ruling party into the open, as protests by students and social groups spread across Uttar Pradesh, BJP office bearers resigned in Lucknow, and disciplinary action was taken against the Bareilly city magistrate.

Remarks Sharpen Political Focus

Calling the new framework “highly discriminatory against the upper caste,” Mishra said, “Every student has the right to lodge a complaint against caste discrimination, but one caste should not be targeted. The present rules violate this spirit. The government should review the act and ensure justice to all.” His remarks have sharpened the political focus on the controversy surrounding the UGC regulations.

Protests Spread Across Cities

Anger against the new rules was visible on the streets in several cities on Tuesday. In Varanasi, students and members of various organisations staged a protest at the district headquarters, where youths from the Savarna community took out a large march. The protesters alleged that the new UGC provisions were discriminatory and warned that they could lead to false cases against general category students. They said that if the Centre does not withdraw or amend the rules, the agitation would be taken to Delhi.

Lucknow University Demonstration

In Lucknow, students of Lucknow University held a demonstration near Gate Number One, demanding the rollback of the new UGC circular. The protesters alleged that the government was bringing rules that would set students against each other. “These rules will not end discrimination, but will instead fuel conflict on campuses,” the students said. Police were deployed near the protest site to maintain order.

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BJP Leaders Resign

The street protests coincided with signs of organisational dissent within the BJP. In Lucknow, Ankit Tiwari, mandal general secretary of the BJP’s Kumharawan mandal under the Bakshi Ka Talab assembly segment, resigned from all party posts in protest against what he termed the UGC law. Ten other office bearers of the mandal also tendered their resignations collectively.

Ideological Drift Alleged

In his resignation letter to the district BJP president, Tiwari alleged that the party was drifting away from the ideals of Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya and Dr Shyama Prasad Mukherjee. He described the decision to implement the new UGC rules as destructive and harmful for the future. Saying that the ideological mission he believed in was becoming hollow, he announced that he would not participate in any party programme.

Bareilly Magistrate Suspended

The controversy has also rocked the administrative set-up in Bareilly. City Magistrate Alankar Agnihotri, who resigned on Monday, was suspended by the state government on Tuesday and attached to the Shamli collectorate. An inquiry into the matter has been entrusted to the Bareilly divisional commissioner.

Resignation Sparks Debate

Agnihotri’s resignation on January 26, when the country was celebrating Republic Day, had triggered intense discussion in bureaucratic circles. In his seven-page resignation letter sent to the Governor and the Election Commission, he wrote that there was “neither democracy nor republic left, only bhram tantra.” He also opposed the UGC bill and referred to the recent incident involving Shankaracharya Avimukteshwaranand at the Prayagraj Magh Mela, saying it had deeply disturbed him.

New UGC Rule

The University Grants Commission has implemented the new rules across the country from January 15, 2026, replacing the 2012 regulations. According to the UGC, the objective is to eliminate caste-based discrimination in colleges and universities and to ensure greater fairness and accountability in higher education. Under the new provisions, institutions have been directed to constitute special committees, helplines and monitoring mechanisms to address complaints, particularly from Scheduled Caste, Scheduled Tribe and Other Backward Class students. Every college and university is also required to set up an equity cell to deal with grievances.

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Criticism Continues To Grow

However, criticism of the framework has been mounting. Opponents argue that the inclusion of OBCs under caste-based discrimination provisions is unfair, while students and social groups fear the rules could be misused and lead to false complaints. Critics have also said universities should prioritise academic quality rather than introducing what they describe as socially divisive regulations.

Political Pressure Mounts

With protests spreading from campuses to district headquarters, a senior BJP leader seeking a review, party office bearers quitting, and a city magistrate suspended after a dramatic resignation, the new UGC rules have triggered an unusual churn in Uttar Pradesh, placing the government and party leadership under growing pressure to respond to the expanding backlash.