Row in Gujarat over Centre ‘holding RTI funds’
AHMEDABAD: The Central government has not allocated any grant to the Gujarat government since 2015 for training and awareness activities involving right to information. The Gujarat State Information Commission too did not get any funds under the RTI Act 2005.
This was revealed in an RTI application filed by Pankti Jog of Mahiti Adhikar Gujarat Pahel, an NGO. As per data, before 2015, the state received Rs 50.55-lakh grant for RTI training and Awareness programmes.
The opposition Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party have accused the BJP of trying to kill the RTI Act to hide corruption.
Congress spokesperson Manish Doshi said the Congress government had brought the RTI Act to enable the people to know how government departments functioned and reduce corruption. “The BJP is trying to kill the RTI law to hide corruption going on in their government. The state government itself has given enough proof that it is trying to abolish the RTI law,” said Doshi.
He said the party would make it a major key issue in the assembly elections later this year. “We will include in our manifesto the steps needed to strengthen the RTI law. Besides, we’d also raise the issue of paucity of funds for the programme in Parliament,” Doshi said.
AAP is also preparing for a statewide agitation to corner the BJP. “The RTI Act is one of the effective tools to bring transparency and accountability in the administration. If citizens are aware, they can participate in a more meaningful manner in matters of governance,” said AAP spokesperson Yogesh Jadwani.
He said AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal was instrumental in bringing in the RTI Act. “If the BJP government tries to abolish or dilute the law, our party will protest,” he said.
“The country knows that RTI activists have been killed in Gujarat. The state BJP government never provided protection to RTI activists. In such a situation, can the BJP-led government fund an RTI awareness program?” Jadvani asked. He said the post of Information Commissioner in Gujarat was also vacant for years, indicating the government attitude.
As per details revealed in the RTI, not only Gujarat, but even Centre has stopped funding for RTI training and awareness programmes. Gujarat is one of the four states which did not get any grant under the RTI Act.