Dear Vidya
1. It is commendable if an IC should employ private persons and pay them from his own pocket in order to speed up disposal of appeals and complaints. Though I do feel that a staff of 5 or 6 persons is sufficient if the staff are fully trained and appropriately skilled, and technology is put to decent use. 2. Observing hearings is fine, interference is not - unless there is an 'urgent' need for it in the interest of justice. 3. An IC is there to implement the law. It is none of his business to nurture either the information providers or the seekers. My requests for information are denied (and I suffer) on flimsy grounds by the same officers who seek leniency from the CIC when they habitually and deliberately make us run from pillar to post. Until recently, I held the view that the PIO could be given a long rope but my bitter experiences have brought me to believe that government officers do not move or perform unless a sword is hanging over their heads. Rarely do we come across a PIO who attempts to see the RTI in its true spirit. 4. The fact remains that Shailesh Gandhi misbehaved with me and has disposed of quite a few of my appeals and of others without giving us an opportunity of a hearing. He is single-mindedly pursuing his self-imposed agenda - as I said in my early email, he is throwing the baby with the bathwater. I would have respected him more than ever before had he shown the courage to come forward and admit to his mistake; and had he asked me, as I suggested in my email to him, how I had intended to help him with my skills even if differences existed between us. Rakesh Agarwal [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
