The SC/ST and OBC Rights (Equality) Front and other student organizations held a march and protest at Mahatma Gandhi Kashi Vidyapeeth on Friday in support of the new University Grants Commission (UGC) regulations.
During the protest, students were allowed entry to the campus only after their identity cards were checked by the university administration. Security forces have been deployed on the campus as a precautionary measure.
Hundreds of students, carrying posters and banners, raised slogans in support of the new UGC regulations. The police were also monitoring the situation with the help of drones.
The protesters stated that the new regulations ensured equal rights for all, but the Supreme Court had stayed their implementation.
The protest had been announced beforehand on social media platforms. Semester examinations are also underway at the university. As a result, the campus has been turned into a virtual fortress. Under the instructions of the Chief Proctor, entry of any outside student or individual has been prohibited.
Student Rohit Kumar said that SC/ST and OBC students often face caste-based discrimination and other problems. Student Nirmala Kumari said that no one should object to the new UGC regulations. The new rules will put an end to exploitation in the university.
The university administration stated that the march was peaceful. A sufficient number of security personnel have been deployed to prevent any untoward incidents. Any suspicious person is being questioned.