As RTI Act turns 21, activists assaulted in movement’s birthplace

Mazdoor Kisan Shakti Sangathan (MKSS) said that the incident took place around 6 pm near Chang Gate, as the ‘Ghotala Rath Yatra' was proceeding through the town. The procession, organised by MKSS and some citizens, had started from Ajmeri Gate around 4.30 pm. (File Photo)

On the eve of the 21st anniversary of the Right to Information (RTI) Act, a musical procession marking the occasion was disrupted by a group of men who allegedly assaulted social activists and women participants in Beawar, the birthplace of the RTI movement, on Sunday evening.

Mazdoor Kisan Shakti Sangathan (MKSS) said that the incident took place around 6 pm near Chang Gate, as the ‘Ghotala Rath Yatra’ was proceeding through the town. The procession, organised by MKSS and some citizens, had started from Ajmeri Gate around 4.30 pm.

Beawar SP Ratan Singh said, “They (the activists) were taking out a procession without permission. Some people came and asked them about their slogans. There was dhakka-mukki (pushing and shoving). The police then intervened and brought both sides to the police station. Further action is underway.”

He said, “They (the activists) had no permission in writing but I have been told that they had informed (the authorities concerned) about the procession.”

Ashutosh Panday, SHO of Beawar City police station, said, “It was a clash between two groups, one was local while the other was of activists. Persons from both the groups sustained injuries. There was sloganeering, the environment is such…”

The SHO said that both sides have given a complaint; and while an FIR has been lodged on the basis of the complaint by the locals, another is being registered on the basis of the activists’ complaint.

MKSS said that women at the front of the procession were pushed and manhandled first by the attackers, who also allegedly made threatening and derogatory remarks, including “shoot those who betray the religion.”

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Activists Kamal Kumar, Shubham, Kanika Kumari, Nirmala and Sakshi were among those assaulted.

“The procession was entirely peaceful and the district administration had been informed in writing about the event which had RTI activists from different parts of the country participating in the procession,” the organisation said.

MKSS has now demanded “immediate police action against the perpetrators and protection for all those attacked. The police must investigate the incident impartially, register the victims’ complaint, identify those responsible and ensure that they are held accountable under the law.”

‘Attack on democratic values’

In a statement, activists Aruna Roy, Nikhil Dey, Mukesh Goswami and Kamal Kumar said: “The right to organise a peaceful procession, raise questions about corruption and exercise freedom of expression is fundamental to democracy. Violence and intimidation cannot be allowed to silence citizens exercising these rights.”

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They said, “This attack is not merely an assault on individual members of MKSS; it is an attack on the democratic values of peaceful assembly, public participation, transparency and accountability that the RTI movement has upheld for decades.”

The Ghotala Rath Yatra, a musical parody that uses satire to highlight corruption, has been part of the RTI movement for nearly three decades.
This year’s procession was organised as part of public awareness activities ahead of RTI Diwas on October 12, marking 21 years of the Right to Information Act, which was enacted in 2005.

Beawar, known as the birthplace of the RTI, has been closely associated with the grassroots struggle for transparency which eventually became a movement and led to the enactment of the law.

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Hamza Khan is a seasoned Correspondent for The Indian Express, specifically reporting from the diverse and politically dynamic state of Rajasthan. Based in Jaipur, he provides high-authority coverage on the state's governance, legal landscape, and social issues, directly supporting the "Journalism of Courage" ethos of the publication. Expertise Politics & Governance: Comprehensive tracking of the Rajasthan Legislative Assembly, including policy changes (e.g., the Right to Health Bill and Anti-Mob Lynching Bills), bypoll dynamics, and the shifting power structures between the BJP and Congress. ... Read More