BJP government accused of 'Manu mentality'
Jodhpur – The sanitation workers’ movement in the Jodhpur Municipal Corporation of Rajasthan is no longer limited to street protests, but has also become a sharp written struggle at the administrative level. Sardar Prakash Singh ‘Vidrohi’, the district president of the All India Safai Mazdoor Congress, has written a strong letter to the District Collector, directly targeting the shortcomings in the sanitation system. The letter makes serious allegations against Municipal Commissioner Siddharth Palanichamy of suppressing the Valmiki community, protecting non-Valmiki employees, and issuing arbitrary orders. Vidrohi has warned that if the demands are not met, the organization may file a complaint against the officials with the Human Rights Commission and pursue legal action. Vidrohi termed this the ‘Manu mentality’ of the BJP government, which is a violation of constitutional rights.
This letter marks a significant turning point in the movement that has been ongoing for the past few months, starting from November 17, 2025. From semi-naked protests in the cold to threats of a broom-down strike, the sanitation workers’ struggle is centered on the dignity of the Valmiki community and the issue of equal workload.
Vidrohi’s letter highlights the burning problems of the sanitation workers in three main points. This letter not only questions the policies of the Municipal Commissioner but also points a finger at the role of the District Collector, who himself is actively involved in sanitation system meetings. The main points of the letter are as follows:
Impractical order for nighttime sanitation system: According to Municipal Commissioner’s letter number 3585, dated January 4, 2026, instructions have been issued to ensure sanitation services from 8:00 PM to 2:00 AM. Ward in-charges have been ordered to provide sanitation workers. The protesters have questioned the rationale behind such an order, given that ward in-charges do not have any reserve sanitation workers at their disposal. Even if employees were available, what arrangements are in place at the municipal level for their safety and security? Who will be responsible for the lives and property of sanitation workers who are forced to work in the dark of night? This order is not only impractical but also jeopardizes the safety of the employees.
Opposition to undue pressure on Valmiki employees and the appointment of non-Valmikis: The letter directly questions the Collector, asking why he himself gives directives in sanitation meetings at the municipal office, but these directives only apply to Valmiki sanitation workers? Has he ever requested a list from the Commissioner of those sanitation workers who have not been performing sanitation duties for the past 7 years? Most of these are non-Valmikis, and their inaction is causing the entire sanitation system to collapse. The protesters argued that if the responsibility for sanitation rests solely with Valmiki employees, then why are non-Valmikis being appointed to sanitation positions? These employees accept the appointments but then shirk their primary duty of sanitation work.
The Collector is accused of pressuring Valmiki employees in meetings – trying to make them do more and more work, even attempting to make one employee do the work of four. This is inhumane. The Municipal Act stipulates 5 sanitation workers per 1000 population, but in reality, a ward has a population of 10-15 thousand, and there are only 15-20 employees. The protesters suggested that if a well-organized sanitation system is desired, then sufficient employees should be appointed in each ward to reduce the burden and ensure proper functioning.
Biased Use of the Monitoring Team: The Collector has formed a supervisory team to improve sanitation, but this team is only monitoring the working (primarily Valmiki) employees. The activist asked whether such monitoring has ever been imposed on the negligent, lazy, and non-performing non-Valmiki employees? The answer is no, because the administration itself is protecting them. This is why they are acting with impunity, and the commissioner remains a silent spectator.
At the end of the letter, the activist issued a strong warning: “For this, the organization will be forced to file a complaint with the Human Rights Commission against such officers and initiate legal proceedings, for which you will be solely responsible.”
BJP Government Accused of ‘Manu Mentality’
In a conversation with ‘The Mooknayak’, the activist delved deeper into the root of the movement. He said, “Things are very bad for sanitation workers in Jodhpur. The municipal commissioner is working to suppress the Valmiki community. The current BJP government has a Manu mentality towards the Valmiki community. They are giving benefits to non-Valmiki sanitation workers, not making them do sanitation work, and have placed them in other departments. This is against the Constitution, but the municipal commissioner is running his own law. He is issuing orders as he pleases, acting arbitrarily. The opposition Congress is also helpless. The struggle has been going on since November 17, 2025, but the solution is still zero.”
The activist emphasized that there are 3300 sanitation workers in Jodhpur, of which 700 are non-Valmiki. Due to their failure to perform sanitation work, the entire burden has fallen on the Valmiki community. The area of 60 wards has now increased to 100, doubling the pressure. The ward changes for 2000 employees on November 15, 2025, added fuel to the fire. He reminded that the agreement reached in the presence of MLAs Atul Bhansali and Devendra Joshi is not being followed, where the promise was made to restore original positions and assign women and disabled employees to nearby wards.
Geetha Sunil Pillai
Courtesy: Hindi News