Introduction
Needless to say, Right to Information
Act (RTI) activists who are now in the forefront of Human rights defenders
(HRDs) have become most vulnerable to all manners of threats, attacks and
murder by vested interests in India.
Unlike other HRDs, a majority
of the RTI activists are still not a part of any collective forum or
organisation; they often act alone, moved by anger at corruption and other
illegal activities.
Though the RTI applicants and
activists serve as self-inspired whistleblowers to cleanse the existing system
of governance of its manifold malaises including corruption and
maladministration, the Right to Information Act, 2005 provides as such no
inbuilt mechanism for their protection in the face of physical attacks or
malafide litigations hurled against them. In the past many RTI applicants owingto
their relentless efforts to 'promote transparency and accountability' in the
working of the public authorities have been subject to a variety of
persecutions including murder, merely for their lawful act of seeking
information. Many of them face threats and assaults of various kinds on a
regular basis. Even common people seeking information from their Gram Panchayat
or the local administration are made to suffer gruelling humiliation and
harassment by the vested interests, quite often in connivance with the Govt.
officials. There are some instances in the recent past where the RTI
applicants who sought for information elated to bungling of MG-NREGA money were
killed. Further, quite many instances of threats and attacks go unreported in
the media and therefore un-redressed too.
On 28.12.14, Sri Ganesh Chandra
Panda of Rangeilunda Block of Ganjam district was murdered by vested groups, as
he tried to unearth huge corruption in FDR and NREGA work through
RTI. Similarly, one month has not passed, another RTI Activist Sri
Krupasindhu Sahu of Niali Block of Cuttack district
was killed by Supari killer because of his attempt
to expose corruption and misappropriation of fund in BGREI fund (
Bringing 2nd Green Revolution in Eastern India). Apart from that, attack
on RTI Activists is reported in every alternate day in mass media. The list has
no end. The growing attack and murder has raised concern about security
and protection of RTI Activists in the state. On the other
hand, the police administration are seen hand in glove
with vested groups and criminals who are masterminding murder and
derailed the enquiry without giving any justice to the victims or the
family of victims.
Proceedings of the meeting
Keeping it in view, a
state-level Convention of RTI Activists and Human Rights Defenders in protest
against murder of RTI Activists was held at Lohia Academy, Bhubaneswar on
5.2.15 at 11am. More than hundred RTI Activists, Human Rights Defenders,
advocates and social activists from Ganjam, Puri, Balasore, Bhadrak,
Bolagir, Kalahandi, Jajpur, Jagatsingh Pur, Kendrapara had participated i the
meeting. The meeting was organised under joint auspices of Human Rights Front, Odisha Soochana Adhikar Abhijan and Civil Society Forum on Human Rights. The meeting
started with Sri Rabi Das, senior journalist presiding over the meeting. On
request from chair, Sri Manoj Jena conducted one minute Silence Prayer in
memory of Sri Ganesh Prasad Panda and Sri Krupasindhu Sahu, two RTI Martyrs. Sri
Manoj Jena, Chairperson, Human Rights Front At the outset, Sri Pradip Pradhan,
State Convener, Odisha Soochana Adhikar Abhijan delivered
welcome address and introductory remarks about objectives of the meeting. He presented
chronologically the incidence of attack, threats on RTI Activists in Odisha.
Around 30 RTI Activists have been victim of brutal attack, threats, institution
of false cases by corrupt influential people, political people and state
administration. But recent murder of RTI two activists has set an alarming bell
for us to stand united and work together to fight out the issues relating to
corruption ad irregularities in development work. The fourteen years of misrule
of Naveen Patnaik regime has not only perpetuated corruption in all fields but
helped increasing crime against activists and common people in the state. It
is call for all activists to work together to fight out the issues affecting
the interest of the state. He made appeal all the participants to speak on this
issue and suggest for future course of action. All the activists one by one
expressed their concerns and presented a number of proposals strengthening RTI
movement in Odisha and to work unitedly to build up a corruption-free state. The
prominent activists who spoke in the convention were Sri Sambhu
Panigrahi , advocate, Berhampur, Sri Jayant Das, Puri, Sri Sudarsha Das, Agami
Odisha, Bhubaneswar, Sri Jayant Bhoi, Dalit Activist, Shri Abdul
Wali,Ms Anuradhan Subudhi, member of State Forum of Chit Fund affected persons,
Sri Sudhir Mohanty, advocate, Sri Saroj Padhi, advocate and Human
Rights Law Network, Sri Akhand, Human Rights Defenders, Sri Biswa
Mohan Mohanty, RTI Activist, Bhadrak, Sri Ashok Das, Samajik Nyaya
Andolan, Sushree Babuni, ZP member, Sri Ashok Mallik, State
President, NACDOR, Odisha Chapter, Sri Bijay Pradhan, Ekta
Parishad, Sri Bijay Parida, Odisha Jana Adhikar Parishad, Sri
Sudarshan Chhotaray, People’s Media Initiative, Sri Lalit Mishra,
Puri, Sri Dibakar Nayak, RTI Activists, Sri Tapan Mishra, Activists,Angull,
Sri Akshaya Jena, Jajpur Ekta Manch, Sri
Ashok Nanda, Lok Samukhya, Sushree Bijaylaxmi Routray,Society for
Fast Justice,, Sri Niranjan Biswal, Prof. Jantrana Parikhit,Odisha Nagarik
Samaj, Sri Sanatan Mallik, RTI Activist, Jajpur, Sri Himashu Tripathy,
Journalist, Kalahandi, Sri Pradipta Nayak, Human Rights Defenders, Sri
Dhirendra Panda,CSFHR etc.
Decision of the
Convention
1. Every
participant expressed grave concerns over gruesome murder and attack on RTI
Activists in Odisha and agreed to work unitedly to fight out corruption and
irregularities in State administration and cooperate and support each other at
the time of any type of attack on RTI Activists in the state.
2. The
convention unequivocally condemned the murder of Krupasindhu Sahu and
decided to take all measures to give justice to the family of the victims.
3. To
carry out united action for protection of RTI Activists and to fight out
corruption, Sri Rabi Das suggested developing a common platform of all
Activists called Unity for Protection of Activists of Odisha which was endorsed
by all the participants in the convention. Sri Pradip Pradhan and Sri Manoj
Jena were selected as conveners of the Forum.
4. Legal and Meta
Legal support to be provided to the HRDs against false and fabricated cases.
5. Advocacy for
safeguard of Human Rights Defenders
6. A
Public meeting in protest against attack on RTI Activist Sri Krupasindhu Sahu
will be organised at Niali, on 10.2.15 at 4.30 PM. Sri
Jayant Bhoi, Sri Ashok Mallik and Sushree Babuni were given responsibility to
organise the programme.
7. Mass
demonstration will be organised in front of assembly, Odisha on 13.2.15.
10,000 activists will gather and hold demonstration. National level RTI
Activists like Smt. Aruna Roy, Sri Nikhil Dey will be invited to
address the rally.
8. An
RTI Cell will be set up to monitor the activities of RTI Activists and threats
to their life.
9. A Martyr tomb will be set up in Bhubaneswar. A 5-member
committee consisting of Sri Manoj Jena, Sri Ashok Nanda, Sri Akhand,
Sri Jayant Das and Sri Pratap sahu will look after.
Sri Manoj
Jena offered vote of thanks.
Report prepared by Pradip Pradhan, M-9937843482
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