DNA: New Delhi: Wednesday, March 13, 2013.
It has been
over 13 years since the Kargil war took place but Indian Army is still not
ready to share details of its officers who were tortured and killed by
Pakistani Army.
The Indian
Army refused to part away with the information to RTI activist SC Agrawal who
had sought names and ranks of Indian soldiers who were allegedly killed after
being tortured by Pakistani Army during the Kargil war in 1999.
But Indian
Army refused to give any detail. “Information is exempted from disclosure under
Section 8 (1) (a) of the RTI Act 2005,” said Army's reply to Agrawal.
The said
section exempts disclosure of any information which would prejudicially affect
the sovereignty and integrity of India, the security, strategic, scientific or
economic interests of the State, relation with foreign State or lead to
incitement of an offence.
Agrawal, who
was miffed with response, said he is “not able to understand how simply
revealing names and ranks of other Indian soldiers who were killed after being
tortured by Pakistani army like was done with Saurabh Kalia could affect
sovereignty, integrity, security or strategy of India”.
“Rather the
information I am seeking is of great public-interest as matter of similar ones
like Saurabh Kalia tortured by Pakistani army should also have been dealt with
in the same manner both at national and internationsl levels like has been done
in case of Saurabh Kalia. I will pursue the case until they provide the
information,” Agrawal told DNA.
He had also
sought details regarding case of Indian Army's Captain Saurabh Kalia whose body
was given back to India in a mutilated condition by Pakistan at the height of
the Kargil War.
During the
Kargil war, Captain Kalia and five other soldiers were caught by the Pakistan
Army, which kept them in captivity. They were subjected to brutal torture as
evident from their bodies. India had also raised the issue with Pakistan.
Prominent RTI
Activist Shekhar Singh also voiced his surprise over Army's refusal.
“It is
impossible to imagine that information about those tortured and killed would
affect India's national security. Even if the Army is refusing to give the
information, they are required by RTI Act and by judgements of high Court to
give explanation behind doing so. Only stating exemption section is not
enough,” Singh told DNA.
“There cannot
be a blanket refusal. They can expunge parts of information which they think
could be of problem,” he added.
.JPG)
.JPG)
