Bareilly: In a dramatic turn of events on Republic Day, Alankar Agnihotri, the City Magistrate of Bareilly, tendered his resignation, citing a crisis of conscience regarding the administration's treatment of religious figures and alleged discrimination against upper castes under new education regulations. The 2019-batch Uttar Pradesh PCS officer submitted his letter to the Governor, stating that his decision was driven by "self-respect" and societal accountability rather than personal or professional motives.
Agnihotri’s resignation letter launched a scathing attack on the administration regarding a recent incident at the Prayagraj Magh Mela. He highlighted the alleged assault on disciples of Shankaracharya Swami Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati of Jyotish Peeth, who were reportedly dragged by their hair during a protest for access to the Sangam on Mauni Amavasya. Terming the incident a "blot on humanity," Agnihotri argued that touching the hair of saints is traditionally forbidden and described the police action as a grave insult to the Brahmin community. He questioned whether the administration was tacitly endorsing the persecution of religious figures.
Broadening the scope of his grievances, Agnihotri also targeted the University Grants Commission’s Promotion of Equity in Higher Education Institutions Regulations, 2026. He specifically flagged paragraphs 2, 5, 6, and 7, alleging they were exploitative and fostered a hostile environment for students from general categories, specifically naming the Brahmin, Kshatriya, Vaishya, Kayastha, and Bhumihar communities. He went as far as comparing these guidelines to the colonial-era Rowlatt Act of 1919, warning that the provisions could be weaponized to harass upper-caste youth through conspiracies and fabricated charges.
The resignation carries significant political undertones, with Agnihotri hinting at the necessity of building an alternative political platform to represent general category communities, claiming no effective voice currently exists for them. This move has intensified the ongoing debate in Uttar Pradesh regarding Brahmin sentiments, following nearly two months of unrest linked to the Swami Avimukteshwaranand controversy. Opposition parties, including the Congress and Samajwadi Party, have seized upon the resignation to criticize the BJP government, framing the developments as anti-upper caste and detrimental to Sanatan Dharma.
Following the announcement, tension escalated outside Agnihotri’s residence as supporters gathered to express solidarity. The protests reportedly turned volatile, with one individual stripping in a symbolic act of opposition to the contentious UGC regulations.
(Inputs from IANS)