More than 50 people protesting against the caste-based reservation policy were detained at Jantar Mantar in Delhi on Friday as they gathered under the banner of Reservation Hatao Andolan (RHA).
The detention followed a stand-off with security personnel in the afternoon, officers aware of the matter said.
By noon, police released another statement saying the protest had been permitted, but at Ramlila Ground. Another protester demanded that the existing reservation system should be reassessed to ensure benefits reach the most disadvantaged. The Reservation Hatao Andolan has sought policy changes and a review of provisions concerning SCs, STs and OBCs, including higher-education reservation policies.
In a letter, deputy commissioner of police (central) Rohit Rajbir Singh said, “…for peaceful protest of maximum of 500 persons at Ramlila Ground for Reservation Hatao Andolan has been considered in this office and we have no objection…
The Reservation Hatao Andolan protesters said the government should consider the economic condition of the candidates rather than caste alone. “A poor person, irrespective of caste, should be provided assistance for education, coaching and other needs,” news agency PTI quoted a protester associated with the Akhil Bharatiya Kshatriya Mahasabha as saying. “Our contention is that the government should examine whether the present system is achieving its intended purpose and whether benefits are reaching people at the grassroots level,” he said.
