Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak met with representatives of the reservation reform movement on Saturday, August 22, 2026, in Lucknow. He assured the agitators that their demands would be taken up with the central leadership of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and a meeting with the concerned Union Minister would be ensured.
The meeting was held with Harsh Dubey, who claims to be leading the reservation reform movement at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi. Mr. Pathak stated that the demands of the student delegation would be effectively placed before the central leadership within the next two days. He emphasized that the government is committed to a bright future for students and that no injustice would be done to any student.
Mr. Dubey expressed gratitude towards Mr. Pathak for assuring a meeting with the Union Minister. However, other members of the reservation reform movement distanced themselves from the meeting, stating that the movement is ongoing and will continue until the government speaks directly to its representatives.
Anuradha Tiwari, associated with the Reservation Hatao Andolan (RHA), clarified that the movement does not endorse the meeting between Harsh Dubey and the government. She emphasized that the government cannot claim to be in talks with RHA based on this meeting and that the movement will continue until direct dialogue is established.
Ajeet Bharti, another representative of the movement, also expressed his disapproval of the meeting and press conference. He stated that the movement will discuss the issue, inform the people, and return with larger numbers in the future.
The reservation reform movement has been demanding equal opportunities for all young people, with some members calling for a re-evaluation of the current reservation policies.
