Ahead of Polls, UP Deputy CM Brajesh Pathak Puts BJP on the Spot After Backing 'Reservation Reform' Group

New Delhi: A post on X apparently endorsing “reforms” in caste-based reservations and a joint press conference with anti-reservation student activists by Uttar Pradesh deputy chief minister Brajesh Pathak has placed the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in an awkward political position. The state goes to the polls in early 2027.

A day after a group of protesters gathered at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi under the banner of Reservation Hatao Andolan (RHA) to demand an end to the existing reservation policy, Pathak met three anti-reservation activists in Lucknow on Saturday (August 22).

Holding a press conference alongside Harsh Dubey (the student who initially started the RHA’s Instagram page), Shiva Sharma, and Mrityunjay Pathak, the deputy CM announced he would take their demands to the BJP’s central leadership and facilitate a meeting with a Union minister within two days. The delegation submitted a single-page letter to Pathak demanding “equal intellectual development in all students, providing them with equal opportunities in advanced professional courses.”

Pathak says BJP central leadership will consider the demands for reservation reforms

“I have sent the letter to the central leadership. The central leadership said they will consider these demands with all seriousness,” Pathak said, adding that the ruling party would not allow the country’s youth and students to suffer under any circumstances.

While the letter did not explicitly mention reservations, it relied heavily on politically-loaded terms used by anti-reservation lobbyists such as “merit” to signal its intent.

However, Pathak’s subsequent post on X (formerly Twitter) regarding the meeting drew immediate scrutiny from Opposition leaders and social media users. In his post, Pathak promised to “effectively” present the delegation’s concerns to the party leadership and explicitly referred to Dubey as leading the "Arakshan Sudhar"  (Reservation Reform) movement.

“Following a press conference held today in Lucknow with Shri Harsh Dubey—who is leading the reservation reform movement at Jantar Mantar, New Delhi—I fully assured the student delegation that, in view of the gravity of their demands and concerns, these would be effectively presented to the central leadership within the next two days, and a meeting with the concerned Union Minister would also be arranged,” Pathak posted on X.

नई दिल्ली के जंतर-मंतर पर आरक्षण सुधार आंदोलन का नेतृत्व कर रहे श्री हर्ष दुबे जी के साथ आज लखनऊ में पत्रकार वार्ता कर छात्रों के प्रतिनिधिमंडल की मांगों एवं उनकी चिंताओं की गंभीरता के दृष्टिगत उन्हें पूर्ण रूप से आश्वस्त किया कि आगामी दो दिनों में उनकी मांगों को केंद्रीय नेतृत्व… pic.twitter.com/xkkt7ymJ5I

— Brajesh Pathak (@brajeshpathakup) August 22, 2026

Pathak, one of the BJP’s prominent Brahmin faces in Uttar Pradesh, added that the government would move forward by “taking everyone along.”

Opposition slams BJP

Opposition parties quickly seized on Pathak’s endorsement of "Reservation Reform," framing it as a covert plot to dismantle constitutional reservations. It must be recalled that during the 2024 Lok Sabha campaign then-Faizabad MP Lallu Singh had made headlines after he advocated changing or completely overhauling the Constitution. Those comments were interpreted by reserved categories, particularly Dalits, as an intent to dilute quotas if the BJP won a 400-plus majority – a narrative that severely damaged the party’s final tally across the Hindi belt.

Reacting to Pathak’s comments without naming him directly, Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav called the “conspiracy to abolish reservation under the guise of ‘reservation reform’ is yet another deep-seated plot against the PDA community.”

“Reservation is a right of the PDA, not a matter subject to anyone’s whims,” Yadav added.

‘आरक्षण सुधार’ के नाम पर ‘आरक्षण समाप्ति’ का षड्यंत्र पीडीए समाज के ख़िलाफ़ एक और गहरी साज़िश है। आरक्षण पीडीए का अधिकार है किसी की इच्छा का विषय नहीं।

भाजपा व उनके संगी-साथी समय-समय पर जिस तरह कभी ‘समीक्षा’ तो कभी ‘सुधार’ जैसे अस्पष्ट शब्दों का प्रयोग कर आरक्षण का विरोध करते…

— Akhilesh Yadav (@yadavakhilesh) August 22, 2026

In a post on X, Yadav stated that the manner in which the BJP and its allies periodically oppose quotas – using vague terms like ‘review’ or ‘reform,’ raising the issue of the ‘creamy layer,’ or advising people to give up benefits – represents systematic attempts to undermine the rights of those who have been exploited and marginalized for centuries.

“Reservation existed, reservation exists, and reservation will continue to exist,” he wrote.

Aazad Samaj Party (ASP) (Kanshiram) MP Chandrashekhar Azad also reacted sharply, saying that  attempts were being made to cultivate a narrative against reservations under the guise of ‘reforming reservation.’

Emphasising that reservation is “not charity” but a constitutional right to representation for historically marginalised groups, Azad posted on X: “To those in power in the Government of India and the Lucknow administration – listen closely: any tampering with the reservation system will not be tolerated.”

Frictions within anti-reservation camp

Pathak’s outreach also triggered friction within the anti-reservation camp itself. Anuradha Tiwari, a prominent anti-quota voice on social media, publicly distanced the movement from Dubey’s delegation, asserting that RHA did not endorse the meeting or the demands made in the letter.

“The government cannot claim that it is ‘talking to RHA’ and declare that this movement is over. The movement is very much on, and it will continue until they speak to us directly instead of using their puppets,” Tiwari posted on X, while also criticising Pathak for remaining silent on previous issues affecting upper castes before attempting to position himself as a leader of the savarnas.

“Silent during the UGC issue, silent while reservations kept increasing, silent on fake SC/ST Act cases, silent even on open attacks against Brahmins. And today, you’ve suddenly stepped up to become the leader of the savarnas? Don't take people for fools.”

In the letter submitted to Pathak, Dubey wrote: “We believe that in the current education system, some students are at the top of the merit list, while others are significantly lower, even though the level of education is supposedly equal. The main issue of our movement is to ensure equal intellectual development in all students, providing them with equal opportunities in advanced professional courses. To this end, the number of opportunities should be increased and new opportunities should be created. This will ensure that no student is discriminated against and the entire society benefits.”

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