Publication of RTI-induced news very low: CIC
Source: Chronicle News Service

Imphal, October 20 2023: Publication or broadcasting of news reports based of RTI-aided information is very low in Manipur and this need to be improved for strengthening people's voice to uproot corruption and enhance transparency in governance, said chief information commissioner (in-charge) of Manipur Information Commission Oinam Sunil during an awareness programme on RTI Act, 2005 organised as part of the launch function of the year-long Golden Jubilee celebration of All Manipur Working Journalists' Union (AMWJU) at Manipur Press Club.

Oinam Sunil took part the event as one of the presidium members and presented a talk on 'Role of media in effective implementation of RTI Act, 2005' as a resource person of the awareness programme.

According to Oinam Sunil, journalists in the recent past collected information from their own sources fostered over years and published news reports.

Since the implementation of RTI Act, 2005 in the country, the mode of collection of information by journalists have changed and major national media houses have started publishing/broadcasting news reports with information culleged through the RTI.

However, publication of such news reports in Manipur is very low, he reiterated.

Leaders and people of the country have long been voicing for uprooting corruption and maintaining transparency in governance and RTI is the sole means to achieve this objective, Sunil said adding that people could consider RTI as a movement to reduce corruption and enhance transparency in governance.

If entire citizens of the country join the RTI movement, the long cherished dream of corruption free and transparency in governance could be achieved, he added.

At one point of time, government officials more particularly of the state were very ashamed of corruption and maintain highest secrecy even if indulged in corrupt acts and they even avoided talking about corruption in front of children.

However, corruption and corrupt practices have become common nowadays and nobody feel ashamed of indulging in corruption as it is very open.

Apart from this, the contemporary society seems to give approval to corruption and corrupt practices.

Interestingly, both the people's representatives and top government officials accused of indulgence in corrupt practices belong to the society but people continue to support such corrupt individuals knowingly or unknowingly, Oinam Sunil observed.

Another resource person Th Ibobi Singh, who is former state chief information commissioner, also presented a talk on 'RTI Act-in a nutshell' and said that the British implemented Official Secrets Act to prevent people from accessing secrecy of their administration and they even categorised government files and documents as classified, confidential and others.

Even after the British left in 1947, India followed many Acts enacted by the colonial British and some such Acts are still in practice in the country.

In the year 1976, the Supreme Court of India ruled for the first time that the Freedom of Expression as mentioned in Article 19-A (1) of the Indian Constitution contains the Right to Information and it is one of the fundamental rights as enshrined in the Constitution.

In the wake of the apex court's ruling, many states of the country enacted their own Acts relating to RTI.

Later, the Government of India felt the necessity to have a Central Act and implemented the Right to Information Act in 2005 throughout the country and even made it one of the fundamental rights of the citizens.

This Act not only helps in enhancing transparency and accountability of the government but also become a key part of democracy in the country, Ibobi said.

AMWJU president Bijoy Kakchingta-bam, in his speech at the event, said the awareness programme was conducted as part of the year-long Golden Jubilee celebration of AMWJU in coordination with Manipur Information Commission.

One main objective of the awareness programme is to utilise RTI Act, 2005 as a tool by the journalists to publish official news and provide factual information to the people.

Bijoy also announced that AMWJU will open RTI Cell to deal with threats and intimidation often encountered by RTI activists.

As part of the event, the resource persons interacted with the participants and later opened AMWJU RTI Cell.

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