[rti4empowerment] Does RTI break the Ice ?

Does RTI break the Ice ?

Unbridled bureaucracy can wreck havock in what may have been designed as an ideal country or a democracy. Indian democracy professes freedom subject to several constraints , like even official Secrets Act which could protect wrong doing in the official set up . With RTI in place on October12,2005 more latitude has been given to a controlled-democracy. . Basically RTI is only one aspect of the fight to get adequate justice or enforce the rights of the common man .Every Indian cannot know the thousands of laws and rules of the country nor would he have the wherewithal to go for every little problem to already crowded courts. Perhaps there are other phemonenon that also help in the direction of aiding the common man in a complicated and corrupt set-up wherever it is in place . NGO's are one fact of this war .Let us understand how Jessica Lal's and Priyadarshini Mattoo's cases were almost rubbed off by Police and it was the NGO's & Press that get the credit for getting whatever justice they have received so far . Hindi movies and small screen are another aspect of educating the common man on his rights and how to handle a corrupt set -up .Movies like Hindustani, Indian,Shool and China Gate are only a few , reflecting what can happen in a set-up where Policemen can take Supari , or contort a real case . The larger canvas consists of getting the truth ,reality and justice together. RTI merely gives you access to something of or all data. But the real issues behind them need to be taken to the Court or the Press . Till RTI came massive ills, could be hidden under shield of official secrets category as classified or "For Your Eyes Only".One had to go to Court for every little clarification . Unbridled , such behaviour could wreck havock on our economy ,political system and social system.In olden days the govt or the king was supreme .Wars could be fought for the king's ambitions. No one could question them. Now RTI makes Justice easier to access.Transparency is not enough as survelliance and vigilance are also needed. There is need to separate policing from being a part of political control . FBI is the ideal example of how policing can work free of control. Transparency like RTI also has its teeth in the ridicule that follows any strong revelation of wrong doing . RTI is not the ultimate goal , it is a means to further action . In RTI you cannot ask why someone has been given a favour , you can ask what went into that favour or what ,is ,was.Section 8 under the RTI is often invoked by the parties wanting to refuse access to transparency . However, Arvind Kejriwal deserves all praise for bringing down the realization to the country of the need for transperancy .Subhash Agarwal and an upcoming RTI activist Gopal Prasad have gone about RTI activism without fear of danger to their lives . Yet another aspect of this activity is protecting whistle blowers. So many have been killed for asking inconvenient questions. If the police look the other way in such cases , then CIC should also be equipped with an investigative force to look into the matter .More fundamental questions are laws that forbid you to raise an arm against the person in uniform. What are citizens supposed to do if a man in uniform is raping a girl ? Are you supposed to take his uniform off before kicking him off ? Most of our laws are out dated .They need to be amended .How would you act when you ask for a document under RTI and you are told that no such document exists ? You now use your source in that department to get that document. When you produce it before law giver and he asks"How you got it" ? You tell him you used a source . Now you could be panelized for getting the document by an irregular method.However RTI has created considerable awareness, Before transperancy was just a word. RTI has been used for human rights empowerment and take clothes off powerful corrupt officials.But can RTI answer questions as to how Dons like Haji Mastan ,Karim Lala,Dawood Ibrahim and many others of the underworld lived in Mumbai for years without any action taken against them .If drugs are available in India then some one is running the show ,Why dons running fake note or flesh rackets are not arrested ? They are somewhere under the jurisdiction of some Police Station .Why run away inflation continues? Why artificial milk rackets flourish? Why vegetables with high levels of intoxicants allowed to be sold ? What is there to ensure a SHO is filing a true FIR ? What is there to ensure an encounter is real ? Remember Connaught Place encounter. If under world dons are greeted at parties by politicians then why the pretence of going against them? Why not allow them to be given official glorious designations?Why army and military personnel have returned medals the first instance of its type in the world ? Many Hindi movies that show the connection between policemen ,criminal and politician depicted in what are actually uniforms of police force in India not in Utopia . Are all Hindi movies a common man's guide to deal with the trio. Are all Hindi movies complete fiction or based of crimes reported by media ?Could RTI explain why policemen have bobbited a man ? A policemen raped a girl in Mumbai . Was the govt as horrified as the common man ? A Hindustan Times report report of July 9, 2010 "Cops Double as hired Gun" . We are still waiting for Henderson-brooks report on India –china war of 1962 .Indian govt should project a more true version as report of Lt. General Henderson Brooks and Brig Prem Bhagat is their point of view.Basically Tibet has been a different country till 1959 . How can China leave aside Aksai Chin . They can't even claim Tibet. Tibet would have been independent if India had helped and built up its base in Chumbi Valley.RTI is not the last sermon on fighting justice . The above matters also need Acts to provide justice. Gopal Prasad , Subhash Agarwal and Devashish Bhattacharya are merceneries of the helpless common man but what is needed is an institution that also permits the common man to fight for his rights in a manner the Consumer Courts function, or the Banking Ombudsman functions. It is then he will be able to raise voice against voice injustice and not be frightened of the bureaucrat or the man in the uniform . Mahesh Anuj's crusade to uncover unknown facts about Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose has met with some resistance , even though decades have gone by. Perhaps if every file in the govt closet is opened we may get to know something that may astound us . Gopal Prasad , Who feels he may be targeted for what he does in unveiling corruption also says what lessons has the official machinery learnt from the movie 'Slum Dog" ? Why is the fifth column of Pakistan , whose only production is Jehad want to come and sit on heads of productive Indians ? Why the Government dosent act? Are votes and parties more important than India . Parties want Bangladeshi votes . Have the men in uniform realised that in a war with Pakistan this fifth column can shoot bullets from the rear , as they face the Pakistanis in front .RTI is not enough, what is needed are reforms that will ensure security, equality of life and sense of honesty in the Government.
---A.P.Salvi