Govt asked to hand over untouchability report to RTI activist

Times of India: Rajkot: Wednesday, June 12, 2013.

In a set back to the state government, Gujarat Information Commission (GIC) has ordered handing over a report on untouchability in Gujarat to right to information (RTI) activist KiritRathod within a month. The report on a state sponsored study carried out by Centre for Environmental Planning and Technology (CEPT) University is to be provided to Rathod free of cost.

Earlier, in an attempt to conceal the findings, the government officials in a reply to a RTI application filed by Rathod had said that making the report public could lead to law and order problems in villages.

In was in 2009 that a detailed study was carried out by NGO Navsarjan Trust and three US-based organizations on the subject. They had documented 99 forms of untouchability in more than 1,000 villages of Gujarat.

TOI had run a series of articles based on the findings following which the government had commissioned CEPT University to undertake a fresh study. The study entitled 'Abhadchet ni Bhal' (Understanding Untouchability) was undertaken in October 2010.

Thereafter Rathod filed a RTI application in 2010 seeking the report on the state government sponsored study. He also sought an action taken report from the government.

However, the government had denied making the report public saying that it would create problems in the villages visited by officials and dalits would be targeted for the statements made by them. Officials of scheduled castes welfare department even claimed that the dalits don't want friction with other communities and therefore voluntarily refrain from entering temples in many villages. They also do not confront barbers for refusing to cut their hair.

However, information commissioner Balwant Singh while hearing an appeal ordered the report to be handed over to Rathod on June 4.

"Officials have used all the tactics for not revealing the report before the public. The findings of the government report would establish the reality prevalent in the villages,'' Rathod said.