Greater Kashmir: Srinagar: Sunday,
June 12, 2016.
Section 8 (1)
(i) of Jammu & Kashmir Right to Information Act 2009 (J&K RTI Act 2009 ) says that Information
which cannot be denied to the Parliament or State Legislature shall not be
denied to a person. This provision is present in Central RTI Act of 2005 as
well. In view of this provision it is quite clear that information which an MP
or MLA can get from Government, the same cannot be denied to the citizen if he
or she seeks it under Right to Information Act (RTI). During the ongoing
session of J&K assembly, Congress MLA from Inderwal (Kishtwar) and former
PWD Minister, G M Saroori while debating on the state budget in the Assembly said that the RTI Act has become
a tool for blackmailing and added that instead of using it for the welfare of
the society and people, it is being used as the tool for blackmailing the
officers. He laid stress for making amendment to the law. Only a few years back
on April 15th 2014 ,when Mr Saroori was campaigning for Senior Congress leader
Ghulam Nabi Azad during parliamentary elections, RTI according to Mr Saroori
was a tool of empowerment for ordinary people. In his home constituency
Inderwal, Saroori addressed two important gatherings, one at Durbeel another at
Tagood that day. During these public meetings Mr Saroori kept highlighting the achievements of UPA and
Congress –NC coalition Government in J&K. RTI was his special focus during
these meetings. During one such public meetings Ghulam Mohammad Saroori said
“By enacting legislations like Public Services Guarantee Act and Right to
Information Act not only service delivery of important public services have
been made time bound but people have been empowered to question the Government
for its omissions & commissions. On December 22nd 2009 when G M
Saroori was PWD Minister of J&K , he
addressed a public gathering at Doda after inaugurating Hindwas and Bopa
bridges in the district. Saroori during his address had said “RTI Act is a
powerful tool to ensure transparency ,besides curbing the menace of corruption
in the State” . He added in his public address that creation of Information
Commission is a point to show the seriousness of the Government to implement
the provisions of RTI Act in the State effectively. Similarly on 12th December
2010 during a public durbar at Anantnag Mr Saroori impressed upon the district
officers of Anantnag and Kulgam to spent funds on Government schemes
judiciously to achieve better results.
While
deliberating upon the Right to Information Act (RTI), Saroori asked the people
present in the “durbar” to seek information from the Government departments as
and when required.
RTI: A
tool for oppressed
After a long
struggle we have been able to give oppressed and disadvantaged communities a
tool, which enables them to seek information and make Government officials
answerable. As on date RTI is not only applicable in J&K state , but as
many as 70 countries have enacted this law across globe. Does that mean RTI
should be repealed or amended in all the 70 nations which includes developed
countries like Bangladesh , Sri Lanka , Pakistan and India as well ?
Conclusion:
There have
been incidents wherein RTI has been used a tool for pressure tactics or even
blackmailing. In such cases both the RTI users and Govt officials are equally
at fault. Our legislators want their salaries to be hiked from Rs 90 thousand
to Rs 2.50 lakhs a month. Taxpayers of this state are going to bare this
burden. On the other hand instead of demanding for more empowerment of
taxpayers , our MLA’s are voicing for their disempowered. Irony is that Deputy
Speaker of Legislative Assembly Nazir Ahmad Gurezi supported Mr Saroori’s
claim, at a time when he was officiating as Speaker of the august house. If
some people are blackmailing or pressurizing Government officers under the garb
of RTI , let legal action be initiated
against such erring people, but instead of doing it, how can legislators demand
that RTI should be amended ? It can also be possible that after few years all
the MLAs will raise their voice for revocation of RTI. If you have a right to
question the Government , why are you jealous if citizens also have the same
right ?
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