Pune Mirror: Pune: Monday, 05 May 2014.
RTI activists
demand protection for constable, who has filed over 500 applications under Act,
and suspension of 'drunk' officer who struck her.
Repeated
attacks on a woman constable from the city who is believed to have filed close
to 500 Right to Information (RTI) applications calling attention to the manner
in which duties are allotted to over 2,000 police personnel at Shivajinagar
police headquarters is no aberration for a state that has seen the highest
number of attacks (including murder) on RTI activists, since the Act's debut in
2005.
On Saturday
night, constable Jayshree Mane was slapped in the face by Reserve Sub Inspector
M N Shinde for filing an RTI application in February, seeking information on
how he is being allowed to stay in Police Colony meant for the lower-rung
policemen.
When she
raised the matter with seniors, Mane was allegedly forced to write a statement
saying she was assaulted for not adhering to the strict police uniform policy,
a source close to Mane told Mirror.
"But
Mane insisted that Shinde slapped her hard across the face for filing an RTI
application seeking information on why he was staying illegally in Room No 155
in Police Colony," the source added.
In fact, in
March 2013 an unknown person had dumped human faeces at Mane's doorstep, while
in October last year, she had received a life-threatening phone call, added the
source. Both cases were reported to the police.
Refusing to
share further details, Mane told Mirror that Shivajinagar police station has
registered an FIR against Shinde under Section 510 (misconduct in public by a
drunken person) of the Indian Penal Code. Refuting allegations, Shinde said,
"There is no truth in Mane's complaint. She has a habit of filing
complaints against senior officers. I just asked her why she was not wearing a
cap."
Reacting to
her statement that he was under the influence of alcohol at the workplace when
the incident took place, Shinde said he only took "some cough
medicines". Police Inspector Seema Mehendale of Shivajinagar PS, who is
investigating the case, said, "It is premature to say anything on this
matter as the investigation is still on."
RTI activists
have decided to meet top cops on Monday to demand Shinde's suspension and
police protection for Mane. City-based activist Vijay Kumbhar said,
"Whistleblowers within the system are more vulnerable to attacks, and we
will demand police protection for Mane.
I will soon
be writing to Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan to intervene in this
matter."Akshay Dawadikar, an activist who studied all the applications
filed by Mane, said, "Her repeated RTI applications reveal that there is
lot of corruption in how duties are allotted to police personnel. Civilians are
allowed to stay in Police Colony and illegal shops flourish outside it. These
applications point out the corruption within the system."
Deputy
Commissioner of Police Headquarters II Tushar Doshi said, "RSI Shinde has
filed a default report against Mane for dereliction of duty. I have instructed
the Assistant Commissioner of Police to conduct an enquiry, and strict action
will be taken against the guilty."
STATE OF
ATTACK
Data
collected by the Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative (CHRI) shows 251 cases
across India over the last 8years, where people who sought information under
RTI were either attacked, murdered, physically or mentally harassed or had
property damaged. Maharashtra has seen 53 attacks on RTI activists, including
9cases of murder. Gujarat comes second with 34 attacks, including 3 murders.
Delhi, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka follow, with
over 10 such reported attacks.
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