RTI warriors of Gujarat

Firstpost: Ahmedabad: Tuesday, 02 December 2014.

A resident of Ahmedabad, Gujarat is fighting RTI war against her husband for last one year and still is waiting for satisfactory response. Aarti Patel who lives in a simple and small two BHK flat in Maninagar area with her husband, two kids and mother-in-law is a working woman with state transport department whose husband is working in IT industry.

Aarti and Jignesh married four years back and it was a love marriage. Aarti filed an RTI application to her husband asking for the burning question: “extra marital affairs”. As state government enables women to file RTI against personal relatives to make them stronger Aarti thought to use it to get the crucial information. Upon asking what the trigger behind this application was, she hesitates at first but then opens up, “Jignesh was very much caring and loving in nature in first three years of marriage and we were a good family but suddenly things changed when he got promoted. He used to stay late at office and on weekends also either he used to be on tour or used to show over care on us. These all are indication something is rotten up. Thanks to BJP government, I took the step to file an RTI and ask the questions, which are unattended if asked directly.”

Aarti Patel started her war one year back but still waiting for the response. “Jignesh is not providing me the required information and I have recently appealed against her to second appellate authority. I don’t the reason for delay but I’ll fight till my last breathe and I will go up to central information commission, if required,” she adds about the delay and rage.

Jignesh who is working in IT industry is told to be a charming person by nature who will be obvious choice of any woman. He carries charismatic personality and well-toned body. It is very difficult to predict the number of his extra marital affairs but our relationship experts tells that such people do have at least four to five women in life at a given time.

Jignesh who has been asked various details on this in RTI application was available on call when contacted by our correspondent Sweety. Jignesh replied in a well-mannered IT style to all the questions citing her privacy and cursing BJP led state government-“We have given them a full mandate to do what? To rule us. But seems like they literally took it. All question asked are extremely private to me and no government can force me to answer them publicly. And could please our CM let people know what public interest this information will serve? I urge to our politicians not to cook up their interests on public related issues”. Sweety was very keen to ask the focused question “Why the delay” and she got a smarter and diplomatic reply from IT cool, “I usually spend most of my time in office or on tours. I have seen the queries and it is taking some time for me to collect the required information from various sources. I have informed the applicant about the unforeseen delay happening still she seems to be in hurry. I am putting my best to furnish the information at the earliest and respond in order to avoid any orders of financial punishment or divorce.” Jignesh added.

Aarti and Jignesh’s story is not the only such story of Gujarat. Gandhi’s state is flooded with such incidents where personal, legal, financial and other information has been sought using RTI. One victim husband told on anonymity condition that her wife has asked by when he will kick his parents out so that she can rule the home. Another victim shared a list of questions which seemed to more kind of demands viz asking for jewelry and beauty products. In opposite to all such questions there are ladies who have set an example to the society asking for questions of public interest. An applicant shared her application in which she had asked the actual income of her husband and the data she got was later used at the time of divorce which she filed just after getting the response. Another applicant requested to her husband to disclose sperm count and both settled on one week stay in Singapore. All Gujarat Husband Association member seemed to be feared while sharing that this law is resulting them adversely both mental and financial. The statement was opposed in high volume by Women Welfare Club stating the need and various aspects and use of such a law. Many of them were thanking the state government led by a lady.

Though there are possible use and misuse of every law, state secretary told to our reporter Sweety that misusing this law is a punishable offence where the lady will be barred to ask for divorce for two years (a move which is directly in women’s favor). This law will be reviewed after two years and necessary amendments will be done accordingly.

Shining Gujarat has always shown a new path to the country and now as country has extended full support to former CM Narendra Modi, we hope to see a better Gujarat and as well better India. Country is hoping to get more people friendly laws and we leave it to the ladies of Gujarat to get the best out of RTI against husbands and family.