RTI activists facing threat in Assam for exposing corruption
Though RTI is one of the democratic tools yet the users have to face many challenges. There are people who don't want the success for the RTI or reveling of information. The government must make sure the safety and security for the RTI activists.
IT IS ironical that even in a democratic country one has to face many challenges even when working on positive initiatives. The Right to Information Act has revealed many interesting stories from different parts of the country after the act was implemented. There are many instances in different parts of country where social activists have been able to expose many things by using the Right to Information Act. At the same time many RTI activists have been threatened by people, who are corrupt and are a part of the corruption process.
Organisations or individuals, who are working for the Right to Food campaign have been using RTI for getting information. In this regard many activists have faced challenges and threatening from different sources from time to time.
“I am trying to find out information of the beneficiaries under Above Poverty Line and Below Poverty Line category by using RTI but now it has bought many challenges as my case is still pending and I have to take bail,” said Sanjit Das , an RTI activist from Ghogra village of Dhekiajuli Block in Sonitpur district, Assam. He has been harassed by powerful and he had to move from place to place. Sanjit Das is associated with Swaraj, a people’s organisation working for the people in some parts of Sonitpur district. He got bail on May 29, 2010.
Das filed an application under RTI demanding the list of beneficiaries of commodities distributed under the PDS on September 22, 2009, in his locality. On October 27, 2009, he received a reply from the Deputy Director of Supplies stating that he had to pay Rs 6,000 to get the information. Not understanding why he had to pay this amount, he made an appeal to the Deputy Commissioner. Instead of getting justice he was beaten up by some of the agents under PDS in a police station which shows corruption is rampant in the state of Assam.
It remains to be seen whether Sanjit Das will get justice and all necessary information or corruption managed to overpower him and his initiative to expose the corrupt. "Development must be shown by the government first, it must not be only the blame game around the people,” said Saito Basumatary from People Rights Forum, a network of civil society organisation working on Right to Food Campaign in the north east.
Das filed an application under RTI demanding the list of beneficiaries of commodities distributed under the PDS on September 22, 2009, in his locality. On October 27, 2009, he received a reply from the Deputy Director of Supplies stating that he had to pay Rs 6,000 to get the information. Not understanding why he had to pay this amount, he made an appeal to the Deputy Commissioner. Instead of getting justice he was beaten up by some of the agents under PDS in a police station which shows corruption is rampant in the state of Assam.
It remains to be seen whether Sanjit Das will get justice and all necessary information or corruption managed to overpower him and his initiative to expose the corrupt. "Development must be shown by the government first, it must not be only the blame game around the people,” said Saito Basumatary from People Rights Forum, a network of civil society organisation working on Right to Food Campaign in the north east.
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