01 April,2011 06:30 AM IST | | Vivek Sabnis
After an RTI activist Satish Shetty was murdered following an exposure and now another is fighting for dear life in a hospital, RTI activists in the city are demanding that the government officials should not disclose the name and address of the RTI applicants to anyone under any condition.
Recently, RTI activist Vijay Kusekar was beaten up at Shirur. He had lodged a formal complaint against the miscreants, but they were released on the same day. Kusekar had filed an RTI for obtaining information on the government schemes on the rehabilitation of slums especially in Indira Avas Gharkul Yogana and Rajiv Gandhi Gramin Niwara Yogana.
He was, however, allegedly intercepted and beaten up by Vijay Kusekar, Trimbak Kusekar, Popat Kusekar, Vilas Kusekar, Baba Sarode and Sangeeta Kusekar on March 26.
He has sustained serious injuries on his legs, hand and head. On Tuesday, he was discharged from the Government Hospital at Shirur, where he was undergoing treatment. Vinod Jain, RTI activist said that such incidents are occurring repeatedly because the identity of such activists is easily available to miscreants from the government offices. "These activists become a soft target by anti-social elements," he said. "The RTI activists never gets any police security either when he demands it," he added.
Vaibhav Gandhi, another activist, was also of the similar opinion. "The RTI applicants should also be careful while filing for a report. He should not mention his residential address on the letter and but give the address of his organization instead. Also, the government should keep the information of the RTI activist secret," he said.u00a0
Vivek Velankar, an activist from Sajag Nagrik Manch, said, "Government should make a separate law for RTI activists as his life is always on stake. Those who attack them, should be punished by law," he remarked.
Lokpal bill
BB Somani, Convener, India Against Corruption (IAC) Pune, said: "We are supporting social crusader Anna Hazare who is going on hunger strike to press Lokpal Bill properly, by involving non politicians and experts. This will automatically give strength to RTI activists who are being attacked by the anti-social elements. A signature campaign of IAC has already been started in favor of Lokpal Bill and a morcha has been organized from Kamla Nehru Park at Prabhat Road to Balgandharv Rangmandir, J M Road on April 3," he said.
