RTI issue of Manipur hogs limelight in National Convention
Source: Hueiyen News Service
Imphal, February 17, 2013:
The issue related to the failure of the Government of Manipur to implement the Right to Information Act in the State has been highlighted in the 4th National Convention which is going on since February 15 at AMR-APARD, Rajendra Nagar, Hyderabad in Andhra Pradesh.
Hosted by National Campaign for People's Right to Information (NCPRI) under the theme "From Transparency to Accountability", the National convention which would go on till tomorrow is being organised to celebrate and document seven years of use of the Right to Information law.
About 270 NCPRI Members, including new members drawn from among active RTI users and activists from different parts of the country including W Joykumar, Executive Director of Human Rights Initiative, Manipur, are participating in the convention.
Addressing the convention on the inaugural day, Joykumar pointed out that Manipur Information Commission is not functioning now and the State Information commissioner is spoiling public money by enjoying his salary without doing his duties.
He went on to say that the Government of Manipur has failed to appoint Chief Information Commissioner and other state Information Commissioners till date.
So, the citizens of Manipur can't have access to the information requested.
Moreover, Manipur Human Right Commission has not been reconstituted despite contempt of court case pending before Guwahati High Court in this regard.
Observing that the Government of Manipur has failed to implement effectively all those Acts and rules which are supposed to benefit the general public unless there is pressure from the central Government/National leaders, Joykumar appealed to the gathering to intervene in the issues of Manipur as a part of national issue.
Joykumar also explained that Right to Information is related to Right to Life in Manipur where there is prolonged armed conflict situation.
"Many of citizens have received threats from various proscribed groups as and when they filed RTI application to a Public Authority.
This shows that most of the Public Information Officers (PIOs) are linked with underground organizations.
That is why citizens are reluctant to use the RTI Act", Joykumar contended.
On the first two day of the convention, the participants discussed about the mandate, future course of action, decision making process, organizational structure and the role of the NCPRI which will enable it to effectively function as a decentralized nationwide platform.
Consequent to the discussion, a team of National Working Committee comprising 20 members has been elected and 7 National Co-conveners inducted in the convention.
.WJoykumar is one of the members inducted in the National Working Committee as well as one of the national convenor (NE) of NCPRI.
It may be mentioned here that NCPRI was formed in the year 1996 with the objective of ensuring the enactment of the Transparency law in India.
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