AIR whistleblower threatens fast unto death against victimisation.

Expressindia.com; Syed Khalique Ahmed; Thu, 14 Apr 2011,

Ahmedabad : An All India Radio (AIR) transmission executive has threatened to go on a fast unto death against the alleged victimisation by the incharge CEO of Prasar Bharti.

Ravindra Parmar wrote a letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi and others on Monday alleging threat to his life at his new posting in Bikaner in Rajasthan.

He said he was transferred in February after he blew the whistle on the alleged ‘corrupt practices’ in the AIR station in Ahmedabad. His whistle-blowing act led to action against several senior AIR officials, he said.

He added that Rajiv Takru, in-charge Chief Executive Officer of Prasar Bharti is now victimising him because he exposed Takru’s plan to revoke the suspensions and reinstate suspended AIR officials and legalise the corrupt practices of private productions by AIR and Doordarshan Kendra (DDK) officials at Ahmedabad.

The letter, copies of which have also sent to I& B Minister Ambika Soni, Rahul Gandhi and Ahmed Patel, political secretary to Sonia Gandhi, said: “If you are not able to give me justice and feel helpless before a corrupt, biased and prejudiced IAS officer, then I may be given permission to go on a fast unto death and approach media in the interest of truth and justice.”

He added: “There is a genuine threat to my life in Bikaner. Either you protect me or allow me to take other recourse of self-defence.”

Parmar said he began his fight against corruption in AIR and DDK in June 2007 and his efforts led to the suspension of several senior AIR officials.

“But the authorities are very insensitive towards serious issue of corruption and threat to the life of a whistleblower,” the letter added.

Parmar claims to have spent a total of Rs 90,000 on his whistleblowing act and in his fight against corruption.

The expenses include Rs 7,500 on 180 letters sent through speedpost to various authorities,

Rs 13,000 on other letters and Rs 10,000 on letters given to authorities by hand.

In all, Parmar claims to have sent 742 letters/representations on over 3,000 typed pages, with more than 60,000 photocopies of supportive documents and more than 50 CDs.

He also claims to have filed 120 RTI applications, incurring an expense of Rs 12,000, to collect information to fight corruption.

Takru could not be contacted despite repeated attempts.