Rajasthan HC judge cycles to court after Modi's fuel-saving call
Synopsis
A Rajasthan High Court judge cycling to work may seem like a small act — but it signals how far PM Modi's fuel-conservation appeal has reached. From trimmed political convoys and an EV-riding Chief Minister to the outright postponement of a massive agritech event, Rajasthan is staging the country's most visible institutional response to Modi's call.
Key Takeaways
Justice Sameer Jain of the Rajasthan High Court cycled from Gandhinagar to the court on Saturday, 17 May 2025 , in response to PM Modi's fuel-conservation appeal.
Other judges may follow by opting for bicycles or fuel-efficient transport in the coming days.
Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma and the Governor have reduced their official convoys to 3–4 vehicles each.
Deputy CM Prem Chand Bairwa travelled to his constituency Dudu by Rajasthan Roadways bus; the CM used an electric vehicle at a public event.
The Global Rajasthan Agritech Meet (GRAM 2026) , scheduled for 23–25 May in Jaipur , has been postponed due to the fuel-conservation drive.
Rajasthan High Court judge Justice Sameer Jain rode a bicycle to the High Court premises in Jaipur on Saturday, 17 May 2025, responding to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's appeal for citizens to cut unnecessary petrol and diesel consumption. Justice Jain cycled from his official residence in Gandhinagar to the court, accompanied by security personnel, and arrived through Gate No. 1 — forgoing his official car in a gesture that quickly drew attention across the legal fraternity.
A Symbolic Ride That Made Headlines
Justice Jain blended into the regular morning commute along the route and reportedly went largely unrecognised by the public. His arrival on a bicycle, however, became an immediate talking point among lawyers and judicial officers gathered at the court. Officials indicated that other judges may follow suit in the coming days, opting for bicycles or alternative fuel-efficient modes of transport.
Rajasthan's Political Leadership Joins In
The judiciary's symbolic step is part of a wider wave of fuel-conservation gestures sweeping Rajasthan's political establishment. Governor and Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma have reportedly trimmed the size of their official convoys, removing several support vehicles — including ambulances and tail cars — bringing each convoy down to just three or four vehicles. Chief Minister Sharma also attended a public event in Jaipur using an electric vehicle. Deputy Chief Minister Prem Chand Bairwa travelled to his constituency, Dudu, aboard a Rajasthan Roadways bus.
GRAM 2026 Agritech Meet Deferred
In a more consequential development linked to the same campaign, the Rajasthan government has postponed the Global Rajasthan Agritech Meet (GRAM 2026), which was scheduled for 23–25 May at the Jaipur Exhibition and Convention Centre (JECC) in Sitapura, Jaipur. The large-scale event was expected to draw lakhs of farmers from across the state, requiring thousands of vehicles for transportation — a logistical footprint at odds with the conservation drive.
Preparations Already Underway Before Deferral
Organisational groundwork for GRAM 2026 had been in progress for over a month, with Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) units at district and block levels actively mobilised. Several vehicles had already been converted into 'Gram Raths' for promotional campaigns before the event was deferred. The postponement signals that the fuel-conservation messaging is influencing not just symbolic gestures but also large-scale state-level planning decisions.
Whether the initiative translates into sustained behavioural change — beyond the current political moment — remains to be seen.
Point of View
But the more consequential signal here is the postponement of GRAM 2026 — a state-level event months in the making, with BJP organisational machinery already deployed. That a large agricultural conclave was shelved over fuel optics suggests the conservation messaging has moved from symbolic to operationally disruptive. The question is whether these gestures reflect a durable policy shift or a short-term compliance performance timed to the PM's appeal. Rajasthan's political leadership appears eager to be seen leading the charge, but without measurable fuel-reduction targets or a formal state policy, the campaign risks remaining a collection of photo-opportunities rather than a structural change in government energy use.
NationPress
10 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did Justice Sameer Jain cycle to the Rajasthan High Court?
Justice Sameer Jain cycled to the Rajasthan High Court in Jaipur on Saturday in response to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's public appeal to reduce unnecessary petrol and diesel consumption. He rode from his residence in Gandhinagar to the court, accompanied by security personnel, forgoing his official car.
What is PM Modi's fuel-conservation appeal about?
PM Modi recently urged citizens and officials to cut unnecessary use of petrol and diesel as part of a broader fuel-conservation initiative. The appeal has prompted symbolic and administrative responses from politicians, officials, and now members of the judiciary across states including Rajasthan.
Why has the Global Rajasthan Agritech Meet (GRAM 2026) been postponed?
GRAM 2026, scheduled for 23–25 May at JECC in Sitapura, Jaipur, was postponed because the event was expected to bring lakhs of farmers to Jaipur, requiring thousands of vehicles — directly conflicting with the state government's fuel-conservation stance. Preparations, including the conversion of vehicles into 'Gram Raths', had already been underway for over a month.
How has Rajasthan's political leadership responded to the fuel-saving drive?
Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma and the Governor have trimmed their official convoys to three or four vehicles each by removing support vehicles. Sharma attended a public event in an electric vehicle, and Deputy Chief Minister Prem Chand Bairwa travelled to his constituency Dudu by Rajasthan Roadways bus.
Will other Rajasthan High Court judges also cycle to court?
Officials have indicated that other judges may join the initiative in the coming days by opting for bicycles or other fuel-efficient modes of transport, though no formal directive has been issued.
