SAMATA CONVENTION HELD IN SUPPORT OF UGC REGULATIONS

SAMATA CONVENTION HELD IN SUPPORT OF UGC REGULATIONS

16-MARCH-ENG 3

RAJIV NAYAN AGRAWAL

ARA-----------------------------A 'Samata Convention' (Equality Convention) was successfully held at the Radhakrishnan Auditorium of Veer Kunwar Singh University, organized under the joint banners of the 'All India Forum for Equity' and the 'UGC Regulation Samata Andolan' (Equality Movement).

 The Samata Convention was organized amidst slogans demanding the implementation of UGC regulations and the enforcement of a 65% reservation quota for SC, ST, EBC, and BC categories in Bihar.

A massive 'Samata Mahajutan' (Grand Gathering) and a march to the Raj Bhavan are scheduled to take place in Patna on March 18, with thousands of students and youths from the district expected to participate.

A Samata Convention was organized today at the Radhakrishnan Auditorium of Veer Kunwar Singh University to express support for the upcoming 'Samata Mahajutan' and march, which are being organized by the Bhojpur Chapter of the 'All India Forum for Equity' and the 'UGC Regulation Samata Andolan.' Prominent figures at the convention included former MLA Ajit Kushwaha and Neha—a research scholar at JNU and the National President of AISA. Neha was one of the 14 JNU students who were sent to jail while leading an ongoing movement at the university in support of UGC regulations and in protest against the casteist remarks made by the JNU Vice-Chancellor. The gathering included hundreds of students and youth, alongside farmer leader Raju Yadav, Insaf Manch leader Qiyamuddin Ansari, RJD youth leader Shailendra, RYA District President Vishal, and Secretary Niranjan Keshari.

AISA National President Neha stated that within the Indian feudal social order, a culture of privilege, discrimination, specific ideologies, behaviors, exploitation, and atrocities—all based on the Varna-caste system—remains a stark reality. She noted that those opposing the UGC Regulation 2026 have, through their hegemonic and casteist mindsets, effectively proven this point. The country and its campuses, she asserted, will be governed not by *Manuvad* (the ideology of Manu), but by the Constitution drafted by Babasaheb Ambedkar. In the current climate, Dalits and backward classes are frequently deemed "unsuitable" and are consequently barred from becoming professors under the "NFS" (Not Found Suitable) category. Ironically, no suitable educational policies are being formulated to address the specific needs of these marginalized communities. Furthermore, the absence of reservation policies in private universities and the judiciary continues to deny opportunities to the underprivileged. She pointed out that, much like the UGC Regulation, a policy mandating 65 percent reservation in Bihar had been passed by the Legislative Assembly; however, it was subsequently stayed by the courts at the behest of *Manuvadi* forces. The people of Bihar, she declared, will no longer tolerate this injustice. Statistical data reveals that, even today, the supremacy and hegemony of the *Manuvadi* Varna-caste system persist within both society and the administrative framework. The UGC Regulation was introduced precisely to dismantle this system and to uphold the fundamental right to live with equality and dignity. However, she lamented that the court's decision to stay the regulation—seemingly in collusion with the government—is deeply unfortunate. She urged students to participate in large numbers in the "Samata Mahajutan" (Grand Gathering for Equality) and the "Raj Bhavan March" scheduled to be held in Patna on March 18.

Ajit Kushwaha, National President of the RYA and a former Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA), stated that the pervasive inequality within society has led to a surge in incidents of caste-based discrimination, exploitation, and harassment targeting Dalits, backward classes, and other marginalized and oppressed communities. According to the UGC's own data, there has been a staggering 118 percent increase in such incidents. He highlighted that hundreds of Dalit, backward-class, and Adivasi students—such as Rohit Vemula and Payal Tadvi—have fallen victim to "institutional murders," driven by the relentless harassment and oppression they faced within these institutions. Such discrimination, oppression, and excesses within the academic sphere must be brought to an immediate halt. Therefore, the UGC regulations must be strengthened further and strictly implemented.

The Students' Union has been suspended at this specific juncture to ensure that the JNU Students' Union is unable to stand in support of the UGC regulations. We—14 students who participated in the agitation against the Vice-Chancellor's casteist remarks—were sent to jail. Nevertheless, this movement continues to advance; the struggle will persist until the UGC regulations are fully implemented and a comprehensive 'Rohit Act' is enacted into law by the Parliament.

Meanwhile, other speakers announced that on March 18—the historic anniversary of the '74 Movement' (Total Revolution Day)—a 'Samata Mahajutan' (Grand Assembly for Equality) and a march to the Raj Bhavan are scheduled to take place in Patna. They issued a call to the masses across Bihar—specifically Dalits and Backward Classes, as well as all citizens committed to the struggle for establishing equality, democracy, and social justice—to join the Samata Mahajutan in massive numbers.

The convention was addressed by farmer leader Raju Yadav, State Secretary of Insaf Manch Qiyamuddin Ansari, National General Secretary of Samata Mulak Sangram Dal Navneet Rana, leader of the Social Justice Movement Ramesh Yadav, and District President of Yuva RJD Shailendra Kumar.

AISA District Secretary Vikas and RYA District Secretary Niranjan Keshari stated that, following an intensive public outreach campaign across the district—involving the distribution of leaflets and the organization of street-corner meetings—thousands of students and youth will converge in Patna on March 18.

The convention was presided over by RYA District President Vishal Kumar and anchored by AISA District Secretary Vikas Kumar. Also present were AISA State Secretary Sabir Kumar and the RYA Bhojpur District Secretary. Chiv Niranjan Keshari, Dilraj Pritam, Bhim Army District President Sonjit Paswan, Vivek Yadav, Roshan Kushwaha, Appu Yadav, Jaishankar Kumar, Vijay Mehra, Sudhir Kumar, Amod Kumar, Neetu Kumari, Muskan, Varsha, Anshu, Saloni, Akhilesh Gupta, Sunny Paswan, Dhirendra Aryan, Pankaj Kushwaha, Vivek Kumar, Chandan Das, Hari Narayan Saw, and Rahul Kumar—along with hundreds of other students and youths—were present.