Aires alleges, CM denies exempting Vig Dept from RTI
GOANEWS DESK, PANAJI | 10 July 2013 18:02 IST
Aires Rodrigues submitting memorandum to Goa Governor
The Right to Information activists seem to be on loggerheads with chief minister Manohar Parrikar as the latter has flatly denied their allegation of exempting the vigilance department from the purview of RTI Act.
RTI activist Aires Rodrigues, along with some of his activist colleagues, yesterday met Governor Bharat Vir Wanchoo, seeking his intervention in the matter.
In a memorandum submitted to him, Rodrigues and others alleged that Parrikar was grossly abusing the power by beginning to exempt crucial departments, one by one, from the purview of RTI act.
Parrikar however has denied the allegation, stating that neither he – as the minister – has moved any such file nor the vigilance department has issued any such notification.
Rodrigues brought to the attention of the Governor that Parrikar, as the opposition leader, had regularly used the RTI Act to unearth information, but is now going all out to sabotage the implementation of the Act in the State.
“I have used RTI extensively and I know that no department like vigilance can be exempted”, he told goanews.com.
He however also clarified that no information regarding the ongoing investigation can be provided to any applicant, as per the provisions of the act, since it could affect the probe.
Rodrigues, in his memorandum to the Governor, has also alleged that Parrikar has initiated a tirade against the RTI activists by seeking names and addresses of every RTI applicant.
Reacting to this, Parrikar reiterated that he has sought the information to find out whether any foreign national is also using RTI to seek information which, according to him, is not allowed by the law.
RTI is the best thing to happen to the common man, where common man can make accountability for the Corrupt Government Officials corrupt practices and arrogant behavior. They should be told that this common man pay your Salary. Respect this Common Man. Finish their work within days or weeks and not in months.