Mid-Day: Editorial: Wednesday, August 22, 2018.
This paper
had reported how BMC chief Ajoy Mehta was left red-faced after RTI activists
sent him a list of corrupt civic officials
Right To
Information (RTI) activists claim BMC has shared their addresses and numbers
with the very same influential builders they had complained about. This paper
had reported how BMC chief Ajoy Mehta was left red-faced after RTI activists
sent him a list of corrupt civic officials. Now, these crusaders against
corruption claim they were bombarded with calls offering bribes to withdraw
complaints against illegal constructions.
The activists
alleged that municipal officials had leaked their contact numbers in a bid to
trap them in corruption cases. Whatever the truth in the unfortunate skirmish
between RTI activists and the BMC, the fact that activists allege that they are
getting a huge number of calls from unknown numbers asking them to settle
cases, certainly needs looking into.
Please start
investigation into who is calling them. The activists' complaints need to be
taken seriously. The RTI crusaders need to take their complaint to the police
if they feel threatened.
The cornerstone
of RTI activism is anonymity. The whistle-blower has to remain anonymous to
ensure that the RTI act works and gives the results it is supposed to bring
about. Compromising the complainant is deceitful and extremely dangerous. It
puts the activist or whistle-blower directly in the line of fire. It blows away
his only security his anonymity.
The
compromise also dissuades others from becoming activists as they see that the
earlier whistle-blower, who had the courage to call out corruption, is made to
pay for daring to do so.
It negates
the element of secrecy, which is pivotal in RTI. This is a shameful disservice
to people and a powerful tool. Remedial action needs to be swift and activists
have to be given protection if needed.