Dear Mr Das
You wrote
">I am really curious enough to know how many members are opposing file notings
>here. A poll would be the most scientific method unless of course all the other
>members oppose to a poll on this issue."
I am a "pioneer" member of this group having joined in March 2006 at a
time when I was
the designated RTI first appellate for my department. This group's
ethic was very well
discussed so that "all sides of the RTI divide" could communicate. The
6 principles
which resulted are not separable. If at all a poll has to be conducted
it must be concerning
all the 6 principles.
At its most elemental level the 6th principle ("file notings")
represents the ultimate
"Leap of Faith" for RTI stakeholders, especially the citizens - RTI
applicants, which can
only be reached once the previous 5 have been fully assimilated.
Best wishes
"Ashish"
You wrote ...
Dear Sarbajit,
I will try to answer some of your questions.
1) It is clear that it is only the NGOs and CSOs who are in favour of file
notings - the ordinary citizens couldnt care less.
Well, as far as I know, I am just an ordinary citizen only. I also run NGOs but
that has nothing to do with the RTIs.
I am really curious enough to know how many members are opposing file notings
here. A poll would be the most scientific method unless of course all the other
members oppose to a poll on this issue.
2) I dont know what kind of gender equality you (or your NGO) are practising /
opposing but the fact that we have laws today like 498A/IPC and Domestic
Violence Act clearly shows that you have either been very successful or very
unsuccessful.
Very correct. We have been very unsuccessful till date. The reason was mainly
that we did NOT have RTIs during those period while those laws were being
framed.
But now we have RTIs. And filing RTIs for the file notings helped us change laws
during the drafting stage itself.
3) The only time to stop / change a law is well before it is even drafted.
Thereafter all you have to do is strongly defend the changes YOU have got into
the proposed Bill. Trust me I am an expert on this :-) Writing to the President
/ exposing to media etc. are acts of LOSERS - especially under-resourced losers.
This group is not for LOSERS (and whiners) but for WINNERS and potential
Winners..
Very correct. We even appeared in front of the Parliamentary Committee and
stronly gave our views during the law drafting stage only. But NO one listended
to us. Strangely enough when we asked file notings, everyone started listening
to us and even to the extent of Undersecretary making phone calls to us. And the
thing which we could not acheive by writing and crying house over the years was
acheived simply by filing multiple RTIs and asking for file notings. Infact RTI
is one of the most effective and direct tool in fighting corruption.
I would be very happy to learn on your expertise on the changes u sucessfully
defended in any proposed Bill. It would also help me to enhance my knowledge and
learn from winners like you. We are really proud to have a potential winner like
you in our group.
4) Going on Dharna, is a valuable tool if you can muster at least tens of
thousands on the streets in your support - having a few hundreds just doesn't
count anymore.
Very correct as I have already admitted it. Dharnas with just 100 people does
NOT work. However filing multiple RTIs and asking for file noting is suprisingly
causing wonders. It was just our bad luck that we did not have RTIs much earlier
(or we were not aware of it) or we could have fought rampant corruption while
framing of laws at the initial stage only.
5) Just for the record, the group is not opposed to file notings in isolation.
It is an integral part of a 6 point approach to RTI available at
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/rti_india/message/379.
Well, we could easily have a poll here as to find how many members want file
notings, unless of course all members start writing and strongly oppose a
polling.
Niladri
