PROTECTION OF WHISTLE BLOWERS UNDER RTI - WHY IT IS REQUIRED

AT LAST PROTECTION OF WHISTLE BLOWERS
Some action in form of a bill likely to become an act of Parliament! But why so late............... Any way it is a good beginning to protect the whistle blowers but why did the Govt wake up only after precious lives have been lost! It is a well known fact that events are reflective of the society in which they occur. The killing of Mr Satish Shetty a RTI activist of Pune was a grave pointer to the things which are in the offing for other whistle blowers like him or the future ones who are to follow this blazen trail of RTI activism because slowly but surely it is becoming a national empowerment movement. Firstly the whole nation must salute social activists like Mr Shetty for his indomitable courage to expose corruption and he needs to be honoured by Government of India so as to honour his actions and to encourage future and existing RTI activists. Time has now come when the bureaucracy and political parties have to acknowledge that the system which is corrupt and is being nudged into action by the RTI users and being made accountable is the same system which is carrying out murderous attacks on the ones who are exposing its dirty under belly . This very system is trying to stifle the voice of these RTI activists who are being very ably supported by the media of all types in their fight to cleanse the system or uncover its misdeeds.The need of the hour is to provide fool proof security to such RTI activists who need and ask for it. Another issue to which no thought has been given is provisioning of extra man power to deal exclusively with the RTI work load which otherwise is being done by existing staff in the government and other public funded organisation. There is another matter which requires immediate executive action to recruit extra staff where it is felt absolutely necessary to deal with RTI related work load so that RTI users get information in time every time and information provisioning is not delayed because of non availability of staff due to their being busy in other matters or non availability to deal with RTI matters.