Times of India: Ahmedabad: Thursday, November 19, 2015.
On October 17
this year, farmer and RTI activist Ratansinh Chaudhry from Garambdi village in
Suigam taluka of Banaskantha was murdered, ostensibly for helping two villagers
file RTIs on why they were paid less compensation than others after floods
washed away large parts of the North Gujarat district. They alleged major
irregularities in the cash dole distribution.The lackadaisical attitude of
police and the administration in probing the case has forced civil groups in
the state to take up Chaudhry's case.
Activist
groups like People's Union of Civil Liberties (PUCL), Mahiti Adhikar Gujarat
Pahel (MAGP) and Paryavaran Mitra alleged that there is “jungle raj“ in
Gujarat, and voices that question authority and corruption are silenced.
Nearly five
activist NGO groups formed a fact finding committee and visited Garambdi
village. The committee found serious irregularities, where families who had
lost their homes to the floods were paid Rs 9,600 as compensation while those
who did not, got Rs 95,000 in their kitty. “In fact, there were families where
every individual received compensation,“ says PUCL state secretary Gau tam
Thakar. He says that, it was not only whistleblowers, but a total of 91 persons
died between 2005 and 2012 in Gujarat Police custody . The state was had fewer
cases than only Maharashtra's 159 custodial deaths and UP's with 122 custodial
deaths.
MAGP member
Pankti Jog said: “Since 2005, 12 RTI activists had been murdered in Gujarat.
Chaudhry, the latest victim, exposed district authorities issuing bearer
cheques and not account-payee cheques. We have proof to show that even the
sarpanch of the village would get a cheque encashed himself and pocket 10% of
the money .“
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