From: Krishnaraj Rao <thebravepedestrian@gmail.com>
Sent: Sat, September 11, 2010 10:35:41 AM
Subject: Afternoon: RTI activists, whistleblowers seek better cover
Friday, September 10, 2010
By A Staff Reporter
Prior to the appointment of a new Chief Information Commissioner (CIC) of Maharashtra, the community of Right To Information (RTI) activists and whistleblowers in the city are hoping that the appointment for the next five years is transparent and is based on merit so that the community feels empowered to expose corruption.
"Lucky are the ones who are dead, because those alive, have a lot of trouble in store for them," said former IPS officer-turned-lawyer Y.P. Singh, who was invited as the chief guest at a meet organized by RTI activists and whistleblowers in the city. As shared by Singh, the most important change that needs to brought in the Whistleblowers' Bill, is that it must ensure that it has a mechanism to stop reprisal and revenge against the whistleblower, because that prevents a junior from speaking against his senior and endangering his/her life.
http://www.afternoondc.in/city-news/rti-activists-whistleblowers-seek-better-cover/article_8667
The RTI Act in fact, has emboldened corrupt officials, who know that no action will be taken against them. They readily provide information sought by the activists because they know they will be let off easily, Singh pointed out.
A 25-minute street play called Ek Aam Aadmi Ki Manhaan Kahani was enacted before the press to bring home the point that there is no security for an activist, nor is the promise of confidentiality maintained as promised to a whistleblower.
While an RTI activist, on finding corruption in any sphere, seeks information through the RTI Act, subsequently exposing corruption, a whistleblower is typically a junior officer within an organization who raises a voice against corrupt seniors. However, as pointed out by RTI activist, Krishnaraj Rao and Y.P. Singh, the 'mutilated bill,' which promises a condition of confidentiality to the whistleblower to protect him/her from any harassment is acting against the very person, as more often than not, the condition is not met by the investigating authorities, and details of the whistleblower are divulged.
"This Public Interest Disclosure and Protection of Persons making Public Interest Disclosures Bill 2010 has been taken from that of Queensland, however, in a manner that renders it worthless for the whistleblower. There is no clause for relocation of such a person, nor any protection from revenge or reprisal that his/her seniors might resort to after being exposed. Even the benefit of confidentiality that is promised is now working against the whistleblowers," said Rao.
He, along with other activists and whistleblowers, plan to stage the street play across several villages of Maharashtra in the next two weeks, so that people can understand and give them a feedback, which will then be forwarded to the government, so that the new CIC who will be appointed by the next month brings a relief to citizens who dare to expose corrupt officials.
A mock farewell to the existing CIC was also organized at the end of the press conference by several activists. While RTI activist, Leslie Almeida, garlanded the person who was personating the current CIC with shoes to show his displeasure, V.B. Singh, a whistleblower and a retired custom officer said, that if the future CICs were to follow him, then the whistleblowers and RTI activists will be doomed forever.
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