RTI should not be casualty of corrupt babus: Moily

Press Trust Of India : New Delhi : September 13, 2010 :

The Right To Information (RTI) should not become a casualty of corrupt bureaucrats and others and it is quite disturbing to hear about threats to RTI activists, Law Minister M Veerappa Moily said today.

Reacting to murder of RTI activists in parts of the country, he said "there are instances of attacks on RTI activists. Some of them are Amit Jethwa, an environmentalist in Gujarat, and Satish Shetty, an activist in Maharashtra.

"These attacks and killings have to be taken seriously and dealt with an iron hand," Moily said at the 5th annual convention of Central Information Commission here.

"The RTI should not become the casualty of corrupt bureaucrats and others. It is quite disturbing to hear about the threats given to RTI activists."

Later, speaking to PTI on the sideline of the function, Moily said "if any law is necessary, we will definitely use but law administering authorities in respective states will have to deal with this strictly and severely."

He said in his address that the Whistle blowers' Bill, giving protection to civil servants and raising issues of corruption, has been finalised and will be introduced in the coming winter session of Parliament.