Even as the Centre and state governments accord high priority to the Right To Information Act, 2005 as an instrument in the hands of the citizen to secure transparency in the functioning of public authorities, RTI activists in the state face threats to life with fake cases being registered against them. While the activists stand up for their rights braving the unholy nexus between the administration and politicians, they demand active intervention from the government.
Venkata Rao of Etikoppaka village in Yelamanchili Mandal of Visakhapatnam district obtained information under RTI Act on certain flagship schemes of the government like the fraud in the implementation of Indiramma Housing scheme in Etikoppaka village. He exposed how officials obliged the demands of politicians and allocated land to their family members. For repeated RTI applications in various departments seeking information on the action taken against such illegal allocation, he was faced with FIRs charging him of criminal intimidation and assault.
Mr Venkat Rao says that these cases do not deter him from exposing the corruption within the system. “It is like working in the fields and my aim is to protect my agriculture produce. So, I will continue weeding out plants even if I have to dirty my hands. The only way out now is moving ahead and ensure that justice is done without being disappointed or disheartened with the cases against me,” said Mr Venkat Rao who now plans to legally take on the mighty who conspired to pull him down.
This is not the only instance where RTI activ-ists have been threatened by slapping false cases against them. Other RTI activists too are demanding government's intervention to ensure that the authorities adhere to the government memo issued in September 2010 to protect RTI activists.
The state government had issued GAD Memo dated September 30, 2010 providing guidelines to district revenue and police authorities to keep a close watch over all such cases of harassment and take action against all such persons who harass RTI activists. Senior activist E.A.S. Sharma points out that in many cases, the officers in charge of public offices are either not fully aware of the requirements of the Act or are deliberately indifferent to it as it would expose their corruption.
“There have been several instances in which the officer-contractor combine have even tried to file false cases against RTI applicants and cause physical harm to them. In several states, RTI activists have lost their lives for having tried to get inconvenient information from government agencies. Many public servants still consider it a “threat” if any citizen files an RTI application for information that could expose their corruption,” says Mr Sharma who has demanded that the chief secretary, Minnie Mathew, intervene and take necessary action.
AP Information Commiss-ioner Vijay Babu says that the Commission is committed to protect RTI activists. “By and large it has been noticed that a few officials who are deeply rooted in corruption resort to such tactics. However, we are aware of such incidents and we strongly condemn this misuse of power. We will also take it up with the government and see that necessary guidelines are issued,” said Mr Vijay Babu.