UGC New Rules Trigger Upper-Caste Protests Across Gujarat

Surat | Gujarat — At a time when a wave of protests has erupted across the country against the new rules of the University Grants Commission (UGC), the upper castes in Gujarat too have taken to the streets against the new UGC rules. 

In Surat and Rajkot, the Brahma Samaj has filed a petition and issued a strong threat against the implementation of the rules. While in Mehsana, the Patidar Samaj has demanded immediate withdrawal of the new rules, calling them against the constitutional spirit.

The University Grants Commission had notified the new rules on January 13. Under which, directions were given to form special committees to prevent caste-based discrimination in colleges and universities. In which the committee will specifically hear the complaints of SC, ST and OBC students. The protest has started saying that this system is against the general category students.

It is worth mentioning that in 2016, Dalit student Rohith Vemula of Hyderabad University and in 2019, Dalit doctor student Payal Tadvi committed suicide. Both of them took this step after being fed up with sexual harassment in college, after which the UGC has made new rules to stop gender discrimination in college.

A protest was held by the All Gujarat Brahma Samaj against the new law implemented by the University Grants Commission (UGC) in Surat city. Leaders of the Brahma Samaj and a large number of people gathered at the Collector’s office and demanded to repeal this law as a ‘black law’.

According to the protesters, this new law raises big questions about the future of upper caste children and their safety. In this regard, a memorandum was submitted to Surat Collector by the Brahma Samaj, in which it has been proposed to immediately amend the law to stop the injustice being done to upper caste students.

Brahma Samaj leader Jaideep Trivedi, while giving a statement in this regard, said that the government has done a clear injustice to the upper caste community by implementing such a law in the UGC. A threat was also made that the future of upper caste children will not be tolerated. Recently, the atmosphere at the Collector’s office became heated due to the protest of the Brahmo Samaj and displeasure was expressed against the government.

Milan Shukla, trustee of Saurashtra-Kutch Brahma Samaj and national general secretary of Brahmo Dev Samaj, said that the UGC act brought by the government is like a ‘black law’. It provides that if a complaint is filed against upper caste children by students from ST, SC or OBC communities, the result will be given within seven days and a case will be registered against them within 90 days. If they are living in a hostel, they will be expelled from there or even removed from the college.