Bareilly (UP), Jan 26 (PTI) Bareilly City Magistrate Alankar Agnihotri resigned from service on Monday citing deep disagreement with government policies, especially the new UGC regulations, officials said.
Agnihotri, a 2019-batch Provincial Civil Service officer, sent his resignation by e-mail to Uttar Pradesh Governor Anandiben Patel and Bareilly District Magistrate Avinash Singh, they said.
A resident of Kanpur Nagar, Agnihotri had earlier served as sub-divisional magistrate in key districts, including Unnao, Balrampur and Lucknow, and was known in administrative circles for his forthright views and strict work style.
In his resignation, Agnihotri said that when governments adopt policies that divide society and the nation, it becomes necessary to “awaken” them.
He described the new University Grants Commission (UGC) rules as a “black law”, alleging that they are vitiating the academic environment in colleges and should be withdrawn immediately.
The UGC’s Promotion of Equity in Higher Education Institutions Regulations, 2026, notified on January 13, has sparked widespread criticism from general category students who argue that the framework could lead to discrimination against them. The new regulations — introduced to stop caste-based discrimination in colleges and universities — ask institutions to set up special committees, helplines and monitoring teams to handle complaints, especially from SC, ST and OBC students.
Talking to reporters after attending the Republic Day function in the morning, Agnihotri alleged that the new UGC rules would lead to atrocities against Brahmins. The provisions were discriminatory and could lead to social unrest and internal discontent, he said.
Agnihotri referred to recent incidents, including Swami Avimukteshwaranand being stopped from taking a holy dip at Triveni Sangam on Mauni Amavasya during Magh Mela in Prayagraj, and questioned the role of the local administration.
Claiming that democratic and republican values are eroding, he said he could no longer be part of the system.
Agnihotri is an alumnus of Banaras Hindu University, where he studied B Tech and LLB, and has also worked in the United States. Officials said his resignation on Republic Day has raised serious questions about the prevailing system and policies.
Reacting to the development, state Congress president Ajay Rai said the Bareilly City Magistrate’s resignation was a serious sign.
In an X post in Hindi, Rai wrote, “The lathi charge on Shankaracharya (Avimukteshwaranand) and his disciples, and the administrative pressure — all this shows that under the BJP rule, the Constitution, faith and freedom of expression are all under threat.” “The truth must come out. The state will be governed by the Constitution, not by fear,” he wrote.
Senior Samajwadi Party leader and former Bareilly MP Praveen Singh Aron also responded to the development.
“The circumstances that led a senior PCS officer to resign from his hard-earned and prestigious government service draw attention to the fact that this issue is not about caste or religion, but about the dignity of administrative officers and the Constitution,” he said in a statement.
Regardless of the officer’s community, Aron said, pressure or humiliation while they perform their duties was unacceptable.
“The true strength of governance lies in upholding the principles of righteous rule (Raj Dharma) and constitutional values. This is not a question of politics, but of the very soul of democracy,” he added. PTI COR ABN NAV RUK RUK
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