Rising Kashmir: Srinagar: Monday, July 31, 2017.
The society
and our administrative system are passing through a crisis. After the
implementation of free market policy in 1991 the policy of globalization, privatization
and liberalization we are suffering not only from the economic crisis but the
entire value system has degraded. Everything has become commodity.
Not only the
service sector but the human emotions have been also converted in to the
commodity and fall in the trap of market. What all the countries of the world
are facing is a common problem that is corruption. Corruption has been proved
the biggest problem towards the common toiling people of the world.
By 2010, more
than 85 countries have national-level RTI laws or regulations in force
including the major developing countries like China and India.
Of all these,
Mexico has taken the lead with one of the best examples of a well-functioning
in the world. The law passed in 2002 represents a vital element of Mexico’s
democratic transition, and became a model worldwide.
A well
competent governmental body (Instituto Federal de Acceso a la Información) is
entrusted with the responsibility of implementation and overseeing the law.
Handling over 200,000 requests in its first five years have resulted in Mexico
setting a new international standard for transparency legislation.
In Jammu and
Kashmir, RTI Act was introduced in 2009 and since then this law has proved to
be a strong weapon in the hands of people, for ensuring transparency in
government’s departments and containing corruption. A group of villagers in Budgam, mostly poor
wage workers use RTI to protect their lives, livelihood and ecology in Tosa
Maidan.
Right to
Information (RTI) is an Act of the Parliament of India. RTI has provided right
to information for citizens and replaces the erstwhile Freedom of information
Act, 2002. Under the provisions of the Act, any citizen of India may request
information from a "public authority" (a body of Government or
"instrumentality of State") which is required to reply expeditiously
or within thirty days.
The Act also
requires every public authority to computerise their records for wide
dissemination and to proactively certain categories of information so that the
citizens need minimum recourse to request for information formally.
On July 18th
State Chief Information Commissioner Kursheed Ahmad Ganaie held 5th roundtable
with district administration Budgam and RTI activists. The honorable seems to
have put new life in the whole process thereby warning PIOS/FAAS for the
implementation of the act on regular basis while stressing on suo motu
disclosure. Also, CIC recently directed CE PDD Jammu to create RTI cells and
send officials for trainings. Apart from imposing penalties or recommending
disciplinary action the Jammu and Kashmir Information Commission has broad powers
of inquiry.
So, we can
say that the law has been come for the transparency in the administration and
to control the rampant corruptions in all the fields. The Act in the state of
Jammu Kashmir has a significant role as the place is passing through a
political crisis.
Killings and
firing and atrocities by the army have become the common phenomena in the Jammu
Kashmir. The activists have poured their blood and sweat to bring the law under
implementation. But the thing is that now the law is used not only for people’s
purpose but for revenge and personal purposes too in some cases.
The law of
RTI in the state of J&K is comparatively stronger than many states. And of
course credit goes to the activists of the state who have nor cared for any
danger to their life and worked hard for the cause of society.
The historic
movement of Save Tosa Maidan was the unique example of people’s glorious
movement by using this Right to Information Act. But painful thing is that
where the unity is most required thing, the Act comes in the hands of petty
interest.
For such
steps, what will happen ultimately? Even the Supreme Court has said that while
the Right to Information (RTI) is a formidable tool to fight corruption in
governance, it "should not be allowed to be misused or abused" to
obstruct national development because of such revengeful act by RTI activist in
personal level, thing will allow the government to shrink the law under the
pretext of misuse of it.
The
government authority whether it is a state or centre, for them the RTI act has
become not only headache but also proved a strong weapon in the hands of common
people against corruption.
So, the
authority will be happy by such heinous move of RTI activists. Rather the
government is waiting to snatch out such opportunity. Ultimately, the common
people will suffer who are already suffering. So, let us unite against any kind
of misuse of such boon like Act and save it from silly interest from so called
activists.
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