Arrest Rajasthan BJP MLA who attacked Accountability Yatra: Top RTI activist Aruna Roy at Jaipur convention

By Pankti Jog*
Over 6,000 people gathered from 33 districts of Rajasthan on the culmination of 100 days’ Accountability Yatra, which began on December 1, 2015 at Ajmer. The yatra, led by Magsasay Award winning Right to Information (RTI) pioneer Aruna Roy, attracted national attention in January following a gruesome incident in which a mob led by a BJP MLA attacked activists, injuring several of them.
The 100-day-long campaign was conducted by tens of civil society and community-based organizations of Rajasthan, gathered on the platform called Suchana Evam Rojgaar Adhikar Abhiyaan (Information and Employment campaign).
The campaign focused on contentious issues relating to efforts being made to undermine food security, National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA), old-age pension, and right to education and health. In registered over 9,000 complaints online on the Rajasthan Sampark online grievance redressal with a login ID, which would enable the campaigners to track complaint status and quality of redressal.
The yatra, which ended at Jaipur, saw as many as 300 people’s hearings in all the districts of Rajasthan.
One of the main issues raised related to why were Rajasthan government-run computer service centres by called e-mitras (friends) for citizens charging anything between Rs 100 and Rs 300 for e-seva (services) that should be provided for just about Rs 20 or 30.
Hundreds of people complained of the high charges, and demanded disclosing price tag for different services rendered by e-mitras. After a month-long campaign on the issue, the state government was forced to issue a circular for displaying the price list on the walls of the offices which run e-mitra centres.
The campaign revealed that the Rajasthan government had decided to close down over 24,000 government schools. It also revealed that people fail to get treatment in government hospitals, though the doctors who work in there carry out private practice within the vicinity of the hospital. Further, it was revealed, old age people run from from pillar to post as banks refuse to disburse their pension on time.

The yatra placed the whole issue of lack of accountability and failure of government through street plays and puppet shows. This was so effective that, on January 16, the yatra was attacked by BJP MLA Kunwarlal Meena from Aklera, Jhalawad. Witnesses said, Meena personally beat up women participants of the yatra, evidence of which has been submitted to the state government in the form of video footage. No action has been taken against the MLA.
The yatra demanded a separate legislation to be passed in the Rajasthan state assembly -- accountability law. The first draft of the proposed bill was prepared during the yatra and has been submitted to the state government. Salient features of the draft accountability bill include:

Job chart for every government official/employee.
Time bound service delivery mechanism.
Provision for penalty, if public servant fails to observe the job chart.
Provision for compensation to the citizen.
Provision for criminal proceedings on demand of bribe.

The yatra convention demanded immediate arrest of the MLA who had attacked activists. It also demanded that there should be a public place for demonstrations and freedom of expression at Jaipur and Ajmer. Aruna Roy and Nikhil Dey of the Majdoor Kisan Shakti Sangathan particularly put forward this demand to allow people to express their views freely.
Aruna Roy announced that, over the next two months, district level yatras and rallies would be held throughout the state, and on May 10, 2016, an indefinite dharna (sit-in) will begin in Jaipur till the accountability law is passed.
All political parties were invited for the convention to express their views on this. While the BJP abstained, Congress, CPI, CPI-ML and Aam Aadmi Party sent their representatives, and supported the idea.

---

*Senior activist with Mahiti Adhikar Gujarat Pahel, Ahmedabad

Comments

Political misfires in Bihar: Reasons behind the Opposition's self-inflicted defeat

By Vidya Bhushan Rawat* The Bihar Vidhansabha Election 2025 verdict is out. I maintained deliberate silence about the growing tribe of “social media” experts and their opinions. Lately, these do not fascinate me. Anyone forming an opinion solely on the basis of these “experts” lives in a fool’s paradise. I do not watch them, nor do I follow them on Twitter. I stayed away partly because I was not certain of a MahaGathbandhan victory, even though I wanted it. But my personal preference is not the issue here. The parties disappointed.

New RTI draft rules inspired by citizen-unfriendly, overtly bureaucratic approach

By Venkatesh Nayak* The Department of Personnel and Training , Government of India has invited comments on a new set of Draft Rules (available in English only) to implement The Right to Information Act, 2005 . The RTI Rules were last amended in 2012 after a long period of consultation with various stakeholders. The Government’s move to put the draft RTI Rules out for people’s comments and suggestions for change is a welcome continuation of the tradition of public consultation. Positive aspects of the Draft RTI Rules While 60-65% of the Draft RTI Rules repeat the content of the 2012 RTI Rules, some new aspects deserve appreciation as they clarify the manner of implementation of key provisions of the RTI Act. These are: Provisions for dealing with non-compliance of the orders and directives of the Central Information Commission (CIC) by public authorities- this was missing in the 2012 RTI Rules. Non-compliance is increasingly becoming a major problem- two of my non-compliance cases are...

Buddhist shrines were 'massively destroyed' by Brahmanical rulers: Historian DN Jha

Nalanda mahavihara By Rajiv Shah Prominent historian DN Jha, an expert in India's ancient and medieval past, in his new book , "Against the Grain: Notes on Identity, Intolerance and History", in a sharp critique of "Hindutva ideologues", who look at the ancient period of Indian history as "a golden age marked by social harmony, devoid of any religious violence", has said, "Demolition and desecration of rival religious establishments, and the appropriation of their idols, was not uncommon in India before the advent of Islam".

Celebrating 125 yr old legacy of healthcare work of missionaries

Vilas Shende, director, Mure Memorial Hospital By Moin Qazi* Central India has been one of the most fertile belts for several unique experiments undertaken by missionaries in the field of education and healthcare. The result is a network of several well-known schools, colleges and hospitals that have woven themselves into the social landscape of the region. They have also become a byword for quality and affordable services delivered to all sections of the society. These institutions are characterised by committed and compassionate staff driven by the selfless pursuit of improving the well-being of society. This is the reason why the region has nursed and nurtured so many eminent people who occupy high positions in varied fields across the country as well as beyond. One of the fruits of this legacy is a more than century old iconic hospital that nestles in the heart of Nagpur city. Named as Mure Memorial Hospital after a British warrior who lost his life in a war while defending his cou...

Whither GIFT City push? Housing supply soars in Mumbai, Hyderabad, Pune, not Ahmedabad

By Rajiv Shah A new report by a firm describing itself as a "digital real estate transaction and advisory platform," Proptiger , states that the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) has been the largest contributor to housing units among India's top eight cities currently experiencing a real estate boom. Accounting for 26.9% of all new launches, it is followed by Pune with 18.7% and Hyderabad with 13.6%. These three cities collectively represented 59.2% of the new inventory introduced during the third quarter (July to September 2025), which is the focus of the report’s analysis.

History, culture and literature of Fatehpur, UP, from where Maulana Hasrat Mohani hailed

By Vidya Bhushan Rawat* Maulana Hasrat Mohani was a member of the Constituent Assembly and an extremely important leader of our freedom movement. Born in Unnao district of Uttar Pradesh, Hasrat Mohani's relationship with nearby district of Fatehpur is interesting and not explored much by biographers and historians. Dr Mohammad Ismail Azad Fatehpuri has written a book on Maulana Hasrat Mohani and Fatehpur. The book is in Urdu. He has just come out with another important book, 'Hindi kee Pratham Rachna: Chandayan' authored by Mulla Daud Dalmai.' During my recent visit to Fatehpur town, I had an opportunity to meet Dr Mohammad Ismail Azad Fatehpuri and recorded a conversation with him on issues of history, culture and literature of Fatehpur. Sharing this conversation here with you. Kindly click this link. --- *Human rights defender. Facebook https://www.facebook.com/vbrawat , X @freetohumanity, Skype @vbrawat

N-power plant at Mithi Virdi: CRZ nod is arbitrary, without jurisdiction

By Krishnakant* A case-appeal has been filed against the order of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) and others granting CRZ clearance for establishment of intake and outfall facility for proposed 6000 MWe Nuclear Power Plant at Mithi Virdi, District Bhavnagar, Gujarat by Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL) vide order in F 11-23 /2014-IA- III dated March 3, 2015. The case-appeal in the National Green Tribunal at Western Bench at Pune is filed by Shaktisinh Gohil, Sarpanch of Jasapara; Hajabhai Dihora of Mithi Virdi; Jagrutiben Gohil of Jasapara; Krishnakant and Rohit Prajapati activist of the Paryavaran Suraksha Samiti. The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has issued a notice to the MoEF&CC, Gujarat Pollution Control Board, Gujarat Coastal Zone Management Authority, Atomic Energy Regulatory Board and Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL) and case is kept for hearing on August 20, 2015. Appeal No. 23 of 2015 (WZ) is filed, a...

Only one Indian national park rated ‘good’ by IUCN: Concerns over ecological governance

By A Representative Environmental policy expert Shankar Sharma has written to the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) and its affiliated institutions, expressing grave concern over India’s deteriorating ecological health. Citing the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)’s latest global review, which found that only Khangchendzonga National Park received a “Good” rating among 107 national parks, Sharma warned that the findings reveal a “serious concern for the overall health of the country’s flora, fauna, and environment.”

From fake interviewer to farmer’s advocate: Akshay Kumar’s surprising role in 'Jolly LLB 3'

By Prof. Hemantkumar Shah* At the luxurious INOX theatre in Sky City Mall, Borivali East, Mumbai, around seventy upper-middle-class viewers attended the 10:45 a.m. screening of Jolly LLB 3. In the film’s concluding courtroom sequence, Arshad Warsi’s character asks the judge whether he would willingly surrender one of his own homes to the government for a development project in Delhi.

Search This Blog