On 26 November 2025, coinciding with India’s 76th Constitution Day, Jaipur marked the conclusion of the 16-day Jawabdehi Pad Yatra (Accountability March), which began in Beawar on 11 November 2025. Organized by Soochna Evam Rozgar Adhikar Abhiyan Rajasthan (Right to Information and Employment Campaign Rajasthan), the Yatra convened farmers, daily wage workers, domestic workers, members of nomadic tribes, and other marginalized rural communities, culminating their foot march to the state capital with a clear demand: the urgent passage and implementation of the long-delayed Rajasthan Transparency and Social Accountability Bill (RTSA) 2020.
Photos from the march depicted the participation of men and women from rural Rajasthan, raising their arms in unison under a makeshift canopy at Shaheed Smarak in Jaipur. Demonstrators expressed their claims concerning labor welfare, silicosis relief, pensions, and food security—issues seemingly sidelined not due to lack of legislation, but due to insufficient political and administrative accountability for enforcing existing laws. Previous Yatras, from 2015 to 2022, recorded thousands of grievances without substantive follow-up. This current mobilization traversed approximately 200–300 villages and highlighted persistent systemic failures, including outstanding complaints listed on the Rajasthan Sampark Portal and unlawful deletions from electoral rolls.
Demands for labor welfare were reiterated, with activists calling for the immediate introduction of the Minimum Guaranteed Income Act. They sought to increase monthly pensions from ₹1,000 to ₹1,500, with a 15% annual increment as promised, and timely disbursement on fixed schedules with compensation for any delays. The protestors advocated for 125 days of guaranteed employment for urban workers and 25 days for rural workers annually under the MNREGA program, in addition to a raise in minimum wage to at least ₹800. Female domestic workers called for a dedicated board under state legislation to formally recognize them as laborers, promoting dignity, workplace protection, and basic labor rights for this largely invisible segment of the workforce.
Many protestors have long championed the Right to Information Act (RTI) of 2005 and demanded the withdrawal of the Digital Personal Data Protection Act (DPDPA) of 2023. They argue the latter allows public authorities excessively broad discretion to withhold information deemed “personal,” potentially undermining public interest.
The Yatra included demonstrations by grassroots activists who displayed public income and pension data for district and state government employees, juxtaposed against stagnated incomes for rural workers. Activists highlighted discrepancies in government officials’ work attendance, noting a significant number of holidays taken.
Additionally, the activists called for prompt implementation of the Rajasthan Silicosis Policy of 2019, aimed at the detection, prevention, and rehabilitation of affected workers, as many laborers have reported deaths within stone-crushing sectors. The call for an expansion of the National Food Security Act coverage reiterated the pressing need for updated census data, bringing food and ration entitlements to those currently excluded.
The march ended at an evocative moment—Aruna Roy, founder of Mazdoor Kisan Shakti Sanghatan, recited the Oath of the Indian Constitution to a gathered crowd. Participants held banners and made demands that showcased their community’s struggles, invoking symbols of solidarity to rally for justice.
The arrival of the Yatra in Jaipur underscored a consistent challenge within Rajasthan’s governance: the existence of constitutional rights amidst repeated failures in the systems geared to uphold them. Ultimately, the event raised questions about how many voices attempt to resonate beyond the need for such extensive journeys for recognition.
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