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LATEST NEWS UPDATES | Nagapattinam RTI activist seeks police protection

Nagapattinam RTI activist seeks police protection

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published Published on Jun 5, 2011   modified Modified on Jun 5, 2011
-The Times of India
 
A Elayaraja (30), an RTI activist from Thirugnanasambanthan village, Sirkazhi in Nagapattinam district, has filed a complaint with the state director general of police and the chief minister's special cell, asking for police protection from S Ravi (40), president of Alalasundaram panchayat under which Elayaraja's village falls. In his complaint, Elayaraja has alleged that panchayat president S Ravi (40) is threatening him and his family members because Elayaraja dug out proof of Ravi's corruption.

For concerned citizens such as Elayaraja, the RTI Act is increasingly becoming a tool to fight corruption at the local government level. Using the RTI route, they are able to procure documents proving corruption and mount campaigns against officials. In a few cases, these campaigns extend to court cases and requests for police intervention.

In his complaint, Elayaraja said that Ravi foisted at least five police cases against his family. "Ravi and his brothers have been harassing my family by lodging false complaints. They keep teasing my sister and father," he said.

According to a fact-finding report by civil rights NGO People's Watch, Elayaraja became an activist ten years ago after he objected to the diversion of water for irrigation to the local landlord's fields. The water should have gone to fields owned by dalit families in the village.

Last year, Elayaraja, suspecting irregularities in the implementation of the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA) scheme in the village, filed an RTI application with the revenue department. He obtained a sheaf of documents — a copy is available with TOI — from which Elayaraja inferred that a sum of over Rs 6 lakh of expenses was not properly accounted for. Either signatures were forged in the worksheets or there were no receipts. "I have filed more than 45 RTI queries and collected documents about the NREGA and group house scheme in the village," Elayaraja told TOI.

Soon, the government ordered that the panchayat president should return the money. Elayaraja filed a public interest litigation petition this year at the Madras high court requesting that the court direct the government to recover the money from Ravi. The government asked for time to explain why the money has not been recovered.
Panchayat president Ravi denied all the allegations. "He is a pest, a trouble-maker. He is trying to ruin my reputation and not allowing me to do my work as panchayat president," says Ravi.

Nagapattinam superintendent of police Santosh Kumar says Ravi and Elayaraja have been having problems with each other for some time. But Elayaraja, instead of trying to solve the problems, is magnifying them. "I am sure the two can sit together and solve their problems," he says.

The Times of India, 5 June, 2011, http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chennai/Nagapattinam-RTI-activist-seeks-police-protection/articleshow/8729139.cms


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