Times of India: Mumbai: Tuesday, September 8, 2015.
Doordarshan's popular weekly programme 'Janne Ka Haq', the only television show which focusses on the Right to Information (RTI), has been stopped since two weeks. For nine years, the show had been spreading awareness on RTI and transparency related issues.
RTI activist and former information commissioner Shailesh Gandhi has learnt that the closure was ordered by higher authorities in government.
"Janne Ka Haq was a unique programme which has played an important role in spreading awareness about RTI. Citizens and media must oppose the regressive move to shut down the telecast," Gandhi said.
He added, "Janne Ka Haq has focussed on issues on RTI and transparency-related issues since January 2006. It has been taking up various issues relating to RTI every weekend. Despite being telecast on DD News, which is a government channel, it had bravely and consistently championed the cause of transparency. Its popularity was high especially in rural areas and small towns. It highlighted RTI successes and failures and empowered citizens to participate in the democratic process."
He is urging citizens to write to the Information and broadcasting minister Arun Jaitley and prime minister Narendra Modi to demand that the programme be restored.
Gandhi says people in power are uncomfortable with RTI since it empowers the common citizen to challenge corruption and arbitrariness in government departments. "Many of us had expected the Centre and other authorities would celebrate the tenth anniversary of RTI coming up in January 2016. Instead there has been a hardening of stance in various powerful institutions against the Act," he said.
Even the UPA government had proposed to water down the RTI Act, a move that met with stiff opposition.
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