CM rides into RTI storm

Herald : Panaji : Wednesday, June 5, 2013.

A day after political parties were bought within the ambit of the Right to Information Act, Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar batted for total transparency, saying that the Act should be set aside as it was prone to misuse and all information should be put out in the public domain, except that with implications on security and investigation.

On Tuesday, Parrikar told media that RTI activists misuse information by selectively releasing it.

“In truth, RTI should be taken out and everything should be put in public domain. I don’t understand why anything except security and investigation cannot be kept (undisclosed). I always say that if you want, come and see the file,” he told the media. He also defended the fact that parties have to take donations to run their organizations saying “political parties require money to run… a political party in Goa requires at least Rs 30-40 lakhs to run.” 

Explaining further he said that he was of this opinion because “RTI activists are misusing the information by giving it out selectively.”

Citing an example of the postponement of his trip to meet the prime minister to June 12 or 13, he said that only half knowledge would lead a particular person to think that the prime minister denied him an appointment. But this was “because data had to be placed before him and it could not be placed as he was out of station… I can’t take an appointment on the 7th because of the national executive, so I requested them to keep it on the (June) 12th,: he said. “If this info is not with you, you’ll think that I have not got the appointment. If info is not given properly then it can be taken in a negative sense.” 

Once again speaking about transparency he said, “I am of the opinion that everything should be in the public domain. That means anyone can go to the file and check it up. So we have to move towards this.”