Delhi Police have denied permission to several organisations that planned to hold a sit-in protest in Delhi against the UGC’s equity Regulations. Following the decision, a number of activists and organisers were placed under house arrest, and some people who reached the protest site at Ramlila Maidan were detained.
The protest was being planned by different groups opposing the new University Grants Commission (Promotion of Equity in Higher Education Institutions) Regulations, 2026. The Supreme Court has put a temporary stay on the regulations after several petitions were filed against them, calling them discriminatory and vague.
While the regulations have been stayed by the apex court, people from unreserved categories continue to object to them, demanding their full withdrawal. As part of this, several organisations had called for a protest today at Ramlila Maidan in Delhi.
In a letter issued on 6th March by the Office of the Deputy Commissioner of Police, New Delhi, authorities said permission to hold a gathering at Jantar Mantar from 2:00 pm to 5:00 pm could not be granted. The notice stated that multiple VVIP movements and several government and non-government events scheduled for International Women’s Day were the reasons for refusing permission.
The denial letter was issued to Dev Sena President Brij Bhushan Saini, Nav Yuva Shakti Sansthan President Krishana Tyagi, Rashtriya Hindu Yuva Vahini President Arun Tyagi, Hindu Sena President Vishnu Gupta, Jay Hindu Manch President Suresh Sharma, Hindu Mahasabha President Munna Lal Sharma, Hindu Force President Deepak Singh, Hindu Raksha Dal President Pinki Choudhary, Sudarshan Vahini President Azad Vinod, Hindu Bhagwa Vahini President Ajay Kumar Sharma, Tapasvi Adarsh Parivar President Yogender Singh, Satya Sanatan Savrna Manav Dharm President Vishal Arora, Hindu Raksha Sena Vice-President Praveen Choudhary, Rashtrawadi Karni Sena President Karan Singh Takur, and Karni Sena’s Anil Mishra and Thakur Ajeet Singh.
रामलीला मैदान को दिल्ली पुलिस ने छावनी में बदल दिया है। वहाँ किसी को भी नहीं जाने दिया जा रहा है। अब क्या करना है?
12 बजे आज मोदी जी की बुरारी ग्राउंड में सभा है। सभी साथी वहां पहुंचे और #UGC के काले कानून के खिलाफ उसी सभा में अपनी आवाज उठाएं।#UGCRollBackpic.twitter.com/u7mnKCM6lA— NCMIndia Council For Men Affairs (@NCMIndiaa) March 8, 2026
Security was tightened at Ramlila Maidan, where police set up barricades and stopped people from entering the ground. Officials were also seen detaining individuals who gathered in the area in an attempt to protest.
UGC का विरोध करने वाले,
सभी सवर्ण नेता हाउस अरेस्ट?pic.twitter.com/i8BLur2f4J — Voice Of Brahmins (@VoiceOfBrahmins) March 8, 2026
At the same time, police arrived at the houses of several people who were planning to join the protest, and allegedly put them under house arrest since last night. Photographs and videos of police teams at the houses of the protest leaders were posted on social media.
Some of the people who received police teams as guests include Bhupendra Choudhury, Swami Anand Swaroop, Mahipal Singh, Pankaj Dhavraiyya, Ajeet Bharti, Sarvesh Pandey, Sanjay Singh Chauhan and others.