Bharatpur, Rajasthan – The promise of a corruption-free administration once again fell flat on Friday evening around 4:30 PM, when a truck driver had to pay a shocking ₹500 — not for any traffic violation, but for stopping at a roadside tea stall.
The incident occurred at the Ludhawai toll where, according to eyewitnesses, the driver had not broken any law. He had simply parked briefly for a cup of tea. However, RTO officials arrived and forcibly extorted ₹500 from him without offering any legitimate explanation.
This is not an isolated incident. Such acts of illegal cash collection by RTO officials, especially from truck drivers, have become commonplace. Instead of issuing formal challans, these officials often resort to on-the-spot cash extortion—pocketing money that belongs to the government.
These corrupt practices directly hurt the livelihoods of truck drivers and tarnish the image of the administration. The silence of the authorities and lack of action against such extortion raises serious questions: Is the government unaware, or is it deliberately ignoring the rot?
Unless strong punitive action is taken and accountability ensured, the slogan of “corruption-free governance” will continue to ring hollow in the ears of suffering citizens.
