1 week ago
Ajeet Bharti Unveils Reservation Reform Demands At Delhi Protest
Ajeet Bharti spoke at a protest about changing India’s reservation system.
He asked the government to publish a report about how reservations have worked for about 80 years.
He said some very poor communities, including the Musahar community, may not be receiving enough benefits.
He also proposed dividing reserved seats further so benefits reach more groups.
Bharti wanted minimum marks for admissions and said merit should be protected.
He discussed helping economically weaker students with fees and other costs.
He asked the government to begin talks with people who want reservation reforms.
Police said the protest did not have permission, but many people still gathered at Jantar Mantar.
YouTuber Ajeet Bharti demanded a government white paper auditing about 80 years of reservation policy.
He called for quota within quota and questioned the exclusion of a creamy-layer principle within reserved categories.
Bharti sought minimum qualifying marks, saying merit should not be compromised in higher-education admissions.
He argued that EWS beneficiaries should receive concessions including form, hostel and course-fee support.
The gathering took place at Jantar Mantar despite Delhi Police saying no permission had been granted.
- Who
- YouTuber Ajeet Bharti and people associated with the Reservation Hatao Andolan protest call.
- What
- A protest and presentation of demands to reform caste-based reservation.
- Where
- Jantar Mantar in New Delhi, India.
- When
- Friday, August 21, 2026.
- Why
- Organizers sought changes including a reservation-policy audit, quota within quota, minimum qualifying marks and expanded EWS support.
Reservation reform advocates
Authorities and existing policy position
Changes to reservation policy
Reservation reform advocates
Ajeet Bharti called for a white paper, quota within quota, minimum qualifying marks and stronger support for economically weaker students.
Authorities and existing policy position
The article does not quote a government response supporting these proposals; it says the government had indicated it would not implement a creamy-layer principle within quota within quota.
Authorization for the gathering
Reservation reform advocates
The protest call urged people to gather at Jantar Mantar, and a crowd arrived at the site.
Authorities and existing policy position
Delhi Police said no permission had been granted, warned that permission claims were misleading and cited prohibitory orders under Section 163 of the BNSS.
Key facts
- Main speaker
- YouTuber Ajeet Bharti
- Main demand
- A government white paper on roughly 80 years of reservation policy
- Additional proposal
- Quota within quota, including debate over the creamy-layer principle
- Merit proposal
- Minimum qualifying marks within the reservation framework
- EWS proposal
- Support for form costs, hostel fees and course fees
- Location
- Jantar Mantar, New Delhi
- Police position
- Delhi Police said no permission had been granted and described online permission claims as false and misleading
Quotes
Ajeet Bharti
YouTuber and speaker at the Jantar Mantar reservation-reform protest
“The class whose definition says economically weaker, you are neither giving them a facility in buying the form, nor are you waiving their hostel fee, nor is their course fee being waived; what will you achieve by merely recognising it?”
thestatesman.com
“The second demand is quota within quota, on which the government has also said that we will not implement the creamy layer in it. Why will you not implement it?”
thestatesman.com
Sources
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