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LATEST NEWS UPDATES | RTI activists appeal to collector for protection by Nandhu Sundaram

RTI activists appeal to collector for protection by Nandhu Sundaram

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published Published on Jan 14, 2012   modified Modified on Jan 14, 2012

Over 75 activists protested in front of the Red Cross building here on Friday demanding protection from the government in the wake of the murder of Chennai-based RTI activist S Bhuvaneshwaran. The group also submitted a memorandum to the district collector, a copy of which has been forwarded to the cell of chief minister J Jayalalithaa.

Demanding a solatium for the family of Bhuvaneshwaran, the RTI activists also sought the arrest of the concerned Public Information Officer (PIO). "As per the RTI Act 2005, it is the responsibility of the PIO to maintain the secrecy of the RTI applicant's contact information. But in this case it is clear that the offenders have been kept well informed about the various information pertaining to Bhuvaneshwaran," a memoranda issued by the activists to the chief minister said.

"Therefore we request you to instruct the authorities concerned to immediately suspend and arrest the said PIO where the deceased had filed an RTI application, for gross negligence of duty and breach of trust, in addition to violation of the RTI Act," the memorandum further said.

Rajkumarr Velu, director (operation) Fifth Pillar, said until now the physical assault of RTI activists happened only in north India. "For the first time this culture of violence has entered Tamil Nadu," he said. Asked if he had received any verbal threats, Velu said he had not received any so far.

"We met the collector and handed the petition to him. He patiently listened to us and promised to help. He has taken over only today. We are forwarding the memorandum to the chief minister's cell. We are also asking PIOs not disclose information on applicants," he said.

RTI activist S Bhuvaneshwaran, 38, was killed on January 10, in the presence of his four-year-old daughter Yamini by a land mafia near Kolathur in Chennai. The deceased had filed RTI applications to reclaim titles on 18 acres of land belonging to his family and other acquaintances after the plots were forcibly occupied by the land mafia. RTI activists asked the chief minister to deal with the situation with an iron hand, hoping to deter others from committing such crimes.

"In the present situation we don't feel threatened. But when we go to the same office, like the railways or the corporation, for instance, there is a chance that we might be marked and avoided. But so far, I have to admit that I haven't feared bodily harm," said Vinod Srinivasan, executive committee member, Fifth Pillar, and businessman.

K Durai Raj of the Loksatta Party and an RTI activist said that the culture of preventing RTI activists from filing applications and creating a fear psychosis in their minds has entered Tamil Nadu and has to be combated. "We should condemn such heinous acts," he said.

The Times of India, 14 January, 2012, http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/coimbatore/RTI-activists-appeal-to-collector-for-protection/articleshow/11480610.cms


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