RTI Precautions…..

RTI Applicants Don't Panic, But Be Cautious!

 

Raman Sharma

In view of the fact that the state government has failed to assign any explanation for not appointing the State Information Commissioner(s) even after more than one year since the implementation of the Jammu and Kashmir Right to Information Act 2009, therefore now it is for the applicants to continue to use RTI and avoid conflicts. The government that always orchestrate and chant the slogans of transparency and accountability has totally failed to justify their failure in appointing the SIC members. As in the state there is no body/organization to deal with the cases related to RTI implementation thus the applicants are not served with the reply but are often become victim of corrupt officers and their associates.

To discourage RTI applications PIO's and their staff members never oblige to  the applicants and make every possible move to detract them from lodging RTI application. Sometime even the Public Information Officers  refused to entertain the application on some trivial and silly  grounds.

In this violence hit state if somehow a poor RTI applicant dares and is able to file his application then he is forced to withdraw his application by using all the means. In many cases the applicant is being approached both physically and on his telephone just after hours after submitting RTI application. His identity is revealed by the concerned PIO or his staff members.

Already in Jammu and Kashmir the people themselves are either reluctant to ask or perhaps they are not aware of the Act and this was the reason that during the period  of March/09 to Feb/10 only 534 RTI applications were received in all by the state government departments . In the recent few months because of the awareness spread by a very few RTI activists some applicants came forward and put their RTI applications.

But again the vested interests never allow citizens to exercise their democratic right. Both in Jammu and Kashmir region of the state  the RTI applicants are on hit list of the corrupt officers and possibly this was the reason that in few cases even FIR's have been registered against the RTI applicants and in Jammu a Young Boy Mulkh Raj from Village Ramnagar was forced to flee from his home and took shelter in one of his friends house in Jammu.  The only mistake he committed was filling an RTI application seeking details of the irregularities there in government Higher Secondary School Ramnagar. After filling his RTI application he was physically approached by a group of 8 to 10 people threatened him of risk to his life if RTI application is not withdrawn.

Again recently in Kashmir also an RTI applicant Ghulam Nabi Shah of Badgam was beaten up for seeking details from, the Block Development Office Khanasahib, on   money distributed under ' INDIRA AWAAS YOJNA 'and 'NREGA'.

These are not isolated incidents but are just example to show that how does RTI applicants are being discouraged and pressurized to desist from using RTI to seek their rightful share in the system.

Of course the above incidents can dishearten an aspiring RTI applicant to seek details on any issue happening around his surroundings. But let me assure them that they must not loose hope and even without the existence of State Information Commission they can avoid such harassment and escape from becoming victims of the atrocities of the nexus of the corrupt officer and their associates. First of all, if  possible first time applicant must consult a person who has already made any application under the act. He may also approach any local RTI activist. If the sought information is sensitive then it should be submitted by a group of 10-15 people instead of any individual. One may also take the assistance of any friend or activist residing some other place so that the exposed person(s) do not make any harm.

The RTI citizens should not loose courage and continue to ask to make our state a corruption free zone.

Writer is a devoted RTI activists, may be contacted at JKRTIACT@GMAIL.COM