Dear Arun, It is not for you to understand my concerns - I leave that for Mr Consul and his minions. Neither do I claim to speak for anyone else.
For example we had a poll recently on this group - the overwhelming trend therein opposed disclosure of "file notings" as patriotic citizens. Surely I have the right to convey this important "finding" to DoPT as effectively as say Mr Shekhar Singh's Google financed "findings" were conveyed? Perhaps you can explain why it is that IC(Shailesh Gandhi) discloses information conveyed to him and other ICs in confidence by DoPT (such as proposed RTI amendments) only to his cronies? I hold no brief for any IC nor do I want favours from them. For eg. a past IC without a house in Delhi approached me first to file an RTI for him to Estate Officer, when I declined reminding him of his public duty to get information for everyone he chuckled at my "naivety". He went to another RTIer (obviously better than me since he has a Magsaysay award) and filed his RTI and got his house in Lodhi Estate and alot of media publicity for himself and his partner. Today that IC has gone - but the computer application which now allows Govt servants to view transparently acco status in Delhi (in which RTI I played only a very small role) exists to benefit more people than that IC had helped in his entire tenure. Finally, each and every citizen who wishes to have his say heard - democratically - must be considered by the State. My communication to DoPT is a test to see how they will respond so that each and every concerned individual on this group can participate as equally as anyone else. At the recent 7(3) hearings at CIC you will be surprised to know (see CIC order) each and every citizen respondent (sadly only 4 - with NGOs conspicuously absent despite Venkatesh's brave attempts to rally them) who attended is a member of this group - and we all said very widely differing things so as to get the end result we all wanted. AND, in the end it is results which count. PS: the trip by your friends to Mr Consul's office was not only to talk of RTI amendments but also to lobby for 2 candidates for C'IC. Sarbajit --- In [email protected], "Arun" <arun_agra...@...> wrote: > > > To: > > Mr Sarbajit Roy : > > Frankly, I do not understand your concerns . > > Is there anything that has reportedly been represented to Secretary DoPt > that you object to ? > > What is wrong - if at all - a sitting IC has facilitated this meeting > ? He has no > > personal axe to grind . > > Indeed, what then would stop other RTI activists and different groups > propagating the > > cause of RTI from lining up in front of North Block in hordes just in > case Secretary DoPT > > does consent to give you an audience ? > > I will be the first one to do that, as I also have a Godfather - in the > form of a > > sitting IC at the CIC who will be quite pleased to make that phone > call. > > It would seem to me that by dividing opinion, those who profess to be > championing the > > cause of RTI actually cause a great damage to it with the > powers-that-be quite happy > > with the divide , leaving the field wide open for them to do what they > wish to do . > > Dr Arun Agrawal > > -------------------------------------- > --- In [email protected], sarbajit roy <mail.sarbajitroy@> > wrote: > > > > To: > > PS / PA to Secretary DoPT / MoP Mr Shantanu Consul > > > > 14-Nov-2009 > > > > Sirs, > > > > I am given to understand from press releases being circulated to news > > agencies that some persons claiming to be RTI activists met the > > Secretary Mr Shantanu Consul very recently concerning amendments to > > RTI Act. I am given to understand that Mrs Aruna Roy and Shri Shekhar > > Singh were amongst those who met Mr Consul and certain statements / > > assurances attributed.to Mr Consul are being circulated in the public > > domain via these private "press releases". I am perturbed to learn > > that the appointment to meet Mr. Consul was facilitated by a sitting > > Information Commissioner Mr Shailesh Gandhi who is an old associate of > > these persons. > > > > Accordingly in the interests of equity I am constrained to request > > that I be also given an urgent appointment to meet the Secretary to > > convey our own concerns on this matter. It is pertinent that I am also > > constrained to request this urgent appointment seeing as how the MoP's > > own RTI proactive disclosure concerning "Consultation by Members of > > Public, Accessible for Public" is NIL as is evident from the official > > website link:- > > > > http://persmin.nic.in/RTICorner/Proactive/index.html > > > > Thanking you and requesting your prompt action > > > > Sarbajit Roy > > B-59 Defence Colony > > New Delhi 110024 > > > > Tel : 011-2433-4262 > > >
