UGC rules, Magh Mela snub: What pushed Bareilly city magistrate Alankar Agnihotri to quit on Republic Day | Bareilly News
BAREILLY: Bareilly city magistrate Alankar Agnihotri resigned from service on Monday, saying he could no longer work within a system whose policies he believes are dividing society. The 2019-batch Provincial Civil Service (PCS) officer cited strong opposition to the newly notified University Grants Commission (UGC) regulations, which he alleged could fuel caste-based discord and undermine the academic environment.In his resignation letter, emailed to Uttar Pradesh Governor Anandiben Patel and Bareilly district magistrate Avinash Singh, Agnihotri described the new UGC framework as a “black law” and demanded its immediate withdrawal. The rules—formally titled the Promotion of Equity in Higher Education Institutions Regulations, 2026 and notified on January 13—aim to prevent caste-based discrimination by mandating special committees, helplines and monitoring mechanisms, particularly for complaints from SC, ST and OBC students.The regulations have drawn criticism from sections of general category students, who argue that the measures could result in reverse discrimination. Speaking to reporters after attending the Republic Day function earlier in the day, Agnihotri claimed the rules could lead to “atrocities against Brahmins” and trigger social unrest.He also referred to recent incidents, including Shankaracharya Swami Avimukteshwaranand allegedly being stopped from taking a holy dip at the Triveni Sangam during the Magh Mela in Prayagraj, questioning the role of the local administration. Saying democratic and republican values were eroding, Agnihotri said he could no longer remain part of the system.After leaving the district magistrate’s residence, Agnihotri told reporters on Monday that he had gone to meet Bareilly District Magistrate Avinash Singh at his home, where he was allegedly held hostage.“I was held hostage at the DM’s residence for 45 minutes. A call came to the DM from Lucknow. I was verbally abused, and they said, ‘pandit has gone mad (pandit paagal ho gayaa hai). Keep him hostage all night.’ I had already informed the media about my situation. I managed to escape from there with great difficulty and save my life at the behest of the Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP),” Agnihotri said.The district administration strongly denied the allegations. DM Avinash Singh said that when Agnihotri visited his residence, several senior officials—including additional district magistrates, sub-divisional magistrates, circle officers, Local Intelligence Unit officials and the SSP—were present. Singh dismissed the claim of illegal detention as “completely baseless” and said there was no mistreatment or abusive language during the interaction. Asked about the resignation, he declined to comment.Political reactions were swift. Bareilly Mayor Dr Umesh Gautam visited Agnihotri’s residence in the evening and said that while there were shortcomings in the UGC regulations that needed to be addressed, he would comment on the resignation only after speaking to the officer.State Congress president Ajay Rai termed the resignation a serious matter. In a post on X, he alleged that administrative pressure and recent actions against religious leaders reflected a broader threat to constitutional values, faith and freedom of expression under the current dispensation. Senior Samajwadi Party leader and former Bareilly MP Praveen Singh Aron said the episode was not about caste or religion but about the dignity of officers and the Constitution, adding that pressure or humiliation of officials while performing their duties was unacceptable.Agnihotri, a native of Kanpur Nagar, has previously served as sub-divisional magistrate in Unnao, Balrampur and Lucknow. An alumnus of Banaras Hindu University with degrees in B.Tech and LLB, he has also worked in the United States. Officials noted that his resignation on Republic Day has raised uncomfortable questions about governance, administrative autonomy and policy-making. Meanwhile, Brahmin leaders began gathering at the state guest house in Bareilly on Monday afternoon as the issue continued to reverberate across political and administrative circles.
