UGC rules row: Alankar Agnihotri asks Bareilly DM to reveal who called him ‘pagal pandit’

Bareilly (UP) (PTI): Bareilly City Magistrate Alankar Agnihotri on Tuesday declined to comment on his suspension by the Uttar Pradesh government, maintaining that he had already tendered his resignation a day earlier.

The 2019-batch Provincial Civil Service (PCS) officer alleged that a conspiracy was hatched against him and claimed that he overheard a derogatory remark about him while he was at the district magistrate’s office on Monday night.

Agnihotri resigned from service on Monday, citing deep disagreement with government policies, particularly the new University Grants Commission (UGC) regulations, which he said could foment caste-based discontent on university campuses. His resignation has triggered a political and administrative controversy in the state.

Speaking to reporters at his official residence on Tuesday morning, Agnihotri said he had already resigned and therefore had nothing to say on the suspension order.

“As you are aware, I have already submitted my resignation. Whether you suspend me or take any other action after that, I have no comment,” he said.

Later in the day, Agnihotri, who was suspended late Monday night, staged a sit-in protest at the gate of the district collectorate, accompanied by supporters, demanding that the district magistrate publicly disclose the identity of the person who allegedly made the remark about him over the phone. 

Agnihotri alleged that while he was present at District Magistrate Avinash Singh’s office on Monday night, he overheard a phone conversation on speaker mode in which a person allegedly told Singh, “The pandit has gone mad, keep him there the whole night.”

He claimed that after news of the remark spread, he received calls from various social organisations across districts objecting to the language used. Agnihotri said he was asked to visit the district magistrate’s office and ascertain the identity of the caller.

“We will go to the district magistrate’s office to place our side and find out who made the remark,” he told reporters earlier.

Responding to reports that senior officials have denied any such incident, Agnihotri said the matter required investigation.

“Get the call traced, constitute a Special Investigation Team and find out whose phone call it was. When I say that a call came on the district magistrate’s number, people within the system will deny it,” he alleged.

Referring to his suspension, Agnihotri said he was accused of indiscipline and that a departmental inquiry was ordered, with directions to attach him to the Shamli district magistrate’s office during the probe.

“There is no question of me going to Shamli, as I have already resigned,” he said.

When asked whether he would technically remain in service until his resignation is accepted, Agnihotri alleged that attempts were made to delay his resignation to enable disciplinary action.

“There was an effort to persuade me to delay my resignation or go on leave so that a suspension could be imposed first and the narrative changed. When that did not work, the suspension order was issued late at night,” he claimed.

Asked about his future course of action if the resignation was not accepted, Agnihotri said resignation was a constitutional right.

“You cannot force someone to work. Whether they accept it or not is their matter. For this, there is the High Court and the Supreme Court,” he said.

He said he has almost vacated his official residence and removed most of his belongings.

In his resignation letter, Agnihotri termed the UGC regulations issued on January 13 as a “black law”, alleging that they were vitiating the academic environment in colleges and should be withdrawn immediately.

The UGC rules seek to curb caste-based discrimination in higher education institutions and mandate the creation of special committees, helplines and monitoring mechanisms, particularly for SC, ST and OBC students.

Agnihotri had also questioned the role of the local administration in preventing Swami Avimukteshwaranand, the Shankaracharya of Jyotishpeeth in Uttarakhand, from taking a holy dip at the Triveni Sangam during the Magh Mela in Prayagraj.

He said that after his resignation, Swami Avimukteshwaranand spoke to him over the phone.

“I respect him. I have received his blessings. It would not be appropriate to say anything further on that issue at present,” Agnihotri said.

Asked if he had any message for Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, Agnihotri said he had nothing personal against anyone.

He alleged that there was a perception of an “anti-Brahmin bias” within the system and claimed that such a “tag” had come to be associated with the government.

Agnihotri said he has appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to order a Special Investigation Team (SIT) probe into the matter.

“When the state machinery fails, the Prime Minister should constitute an SIT. The first step must be to identify who said ‘the pandit has gone mad’. It reflects prejudice against Brahmins,” he alleged.