Former Bareilly city magistrate Alankar Agnihotri on Sunday met Swami Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati, the 46th Shankaracharya of Jyotirmath in Uttarakhand, in Uttar Pradesh's Varanasi. Agnihotri was warmly welcomed by the Shankaracharya's disciples and he also held a closed-door discussion with Swami Avimukteshwaranand. However, it is not clear on what the two discussed.
The development comes days after Agnihotri resigned from service, citing disagreement with government policies, particularly the new University Grants Commission (UGC) regulations. He had termed as a 'black law' and said that they must be withdrawn immediately. His resignation caused a row in Uttar Pradesh, with political parties attacking the government and saying that administration is facing pressure from the government.
Agnihotri is a resident of Kanpur Nagar and is a 2019-batch Provincial Civil Service officer.
He was later suspended by the Uttar Pradesh led by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on charges of indiscipline; although he pointed out that he had already tendered his resignation. He had even alleged that he is a victim of a well-planned conspiracy against him, as he sat on dharna at the district magistrate's office in Bareilly on January 27.
"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," said Agnihotri, whose suspension order was issued by Special Secretary Annapurna Garg.
Later, Agnihotri had welcomed the Supreme Court's order to stay new UGC regulations. In his statement, the former Bareilly city magistrate had called the top court's verdict a victory for "democracy and the soul of the nation". "The day marked a victory for democracy and the soul of the nation. This victory had come through the judiciary," Agnihotri had said.
The Supreme Court had stayed the UGC (Promotion of Equity in Higher Education Institutions) Regulations, 2026 and sought response from the central government and the commission by March 19. The top court had said that the regulations, which triggered protests at several places in the country, can have "very sweeping consequences" and may end up dividing society with a "dangerous impact".
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