The Hindu : Karnataka News : POTA-like law to deal with terror opposed

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Karnataka

POTA-like law to deal with terror opposed

Special Correspondent

There are enough legislation to counter terrorism: activist

‘RTI, NREGA activists should work together’
‘NREGA is the only scheme mandated with social auditing’

PANAJI: Aruna Roy, social activist and a crusader of citizens’ right to information movement, on Friday opposed any moves to bring back any POTA-like legislation to counter terrorism on the ground it could result in restrictions on democratic rights available to the people.

Delivering a keynote address at a two-day national convention on right to information (RTI) here, Ms. Roy asserted, “You have enough laws to deal with terrorism. We don’t need to further restrict the democratic space. If democratic space goes, right to information goes.”

Emphasising the need for RTI activists and those working for National Rural Employment Guarantee Act to join hands in the battle for greater accountability and transparency in government programmes and fund utilisation, Ms. Roy urged the activists associated with RTI to fully back and support NREGA.

Describing NREGA as a “huge thing in itself”, Ms. Roy said, “It needs support from RTI activists because it is the only government programme which mandates right to information as a part of it.”

“The programme is mandated with social auditing which is part and parcel of RTI. This has helped expose corruption in a big way,” said the Magsaysay award-winning activist.

Success

She referred to the success of social audit campaign under NREGA in Andhra Pradesh which was instrumental in “recovering crores of rupees of the State siphoned off in the name of the poor.”

She paid glowing tributes to former Prime Minister late V.P. Singh. Describing him as a “humble and extraordinary statesman ever committed to the cause of the socially deprived”, she recalled his immense contributions to struggles of all kinds of rights of the people, his support to many movements as well as his political and active support to RTI activists in getting some of the crucial provisions of the Act implemented.

She recalled how Mr. Singh called on Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and successfully prevailed upon the latter to refrain from deleting the penalty provision meant for erring bureaucrats in the RTI Act.

Nearly 20 delegates from 14 States are participating in the convention jointly organised by the Media Information and Communication Centre of India (MICCI), the Friedrich Ebert Stiftung (FES-India) and the International Centre Goa.

The convention is culmination of the MICCI’s initiative to hold series of seminars on RTI in the country, said Nandini Sahai, Director MICCI.

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