Express News Service: Bhubaneswar: Thursday, 10 July
2014.
Eight million
citizens have used the Right to Information (RTI) Act so far. But accessing
information through this Act has also taken a heavy toll with 40 rights
activist losing their lives and more than 200 being brutally attacked ever
since RTI was enacted in 2005. The Whistle-blower’s Protection Act is therefore
an essential tool to safeguard the life and property of rights activists and
their families, said social activist Aruna Roy.
The use of
RTI Act should not be limited for retrieving information only, it must also act
as a tool for grievance redressal, expression of dissent and accountability,
she added. Roy was addressing a workshop on the Whistle Blower’s Protection
(WBP) Act, here on Tuesday.
She stressed
on forming pre-legislative discussion forums which would enable the common man
to participate and voice their views on a bill, before it is enacted as law.
“The SEZ Act
of 2005, was not even sent to a Select Committee and passed within two days.
Such a law which acquires land from the poor and uses it for industrialisation,
required an intensive debate?, remarked Roy.
Speaking at
the workshop, National Campaign for People’s Right to Information (NCPRI)
Convener, Nikhil Dey said though the WBP Act has certain important safeguards
for whistle-blowers, many provisions which the NCPRI had suggested were omitted
from it.
“Setting a
time limit for investigation and allowing anonymous complaints should be
allowed under ambit of the bill,” suggested Dey.
Introduction
of multiple exemptions into RTI Act was an attempt by the Government to weaken
it, opined both of them. They added that the WBP Act was passed hurriedly through
an ordinance by the previous government and was not equipped enough to protect
the whistle-blowers.
Representatives
of more than a dozen social rights organisations and RTI activists from across
the State participated.
Among others,
Congress MLA Prafulla Majhi, BJP Legislative Party Leader Basanta Panda, BJD
MLA Amar Satpathy, senior journalist Rabi Das and State Convenor of NCPRI Pradeep Pradhan were present.
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