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subject[HumJanenge] AID obtains IB's list of RTI activists with suspected terrorist links
Dear Friends
After filing an RTI petition to Indian Consulate in US, AID was denied the confirmed list of RTI activists in India whose telephones and internet were being intercepted by IB. The information was denied to us on grounds that IB is exempted organisation in schedule of RTI Act Also PIO of MEA did not transfer the RTI application to IB. AID was also informed that RTI activist is not a defined term and no such information exists.
In appeal, it was forcefully argued that information pertaining to human rights violation cannot be denied, and that right to privacy is a basic human right. The matter was referred to Central Information Commission which directed the MEA to transfer request to IB to provide the list. We have received the list about 115 days after the CIC order but do not intend to complain as legal opinion sought by IB thereafter was also provided to us to explain the delay. The list of almost 600 names is shocking and even includes name of late RTI martyr Amit Jetwa.
K Rajeshwar Rao
On Sat, Nov 20, 2010 at 1:05 PM, young cyber indians <> wrote:
Dear friends
The order of the CIC was not given in a decision. It is a letter from Chief Information Commissioner giving his approval to decision of the first appellate authority M.E.A directing CPIO of M.E.A to seek assistance of DG-IB to obtain information to provide to AID. The approval of CIC is given for purpose of 24(1) proviso. We were supposed to be given the information for human rights violation within 45 days, but IB took 115 days and CIC also took 87 days to give approval.
AID have taken legal opinion from senior advocate. They have advised that information given to an applicant under section 6 of RTI by paying fee is different from the information disclosed by public authority suo moto under section 4 of RTI Act and cannot be circulated to the non- applicants or published in newspapers. They also referred to preamble of RTI Act which clarifies object of the RTI to be "Now, therefore, it is expedient to provide for furnishing certain information to citizens who desire to have it."
Rajeshwar Rao
On Sat, Nov 20, 2010 at 12:23 PM, young cyber indians <> wrote:
Dear friends
I am very grateful to all the well wishers of RTI movement who have replied to my email either on the groups or on my email. I am unable to respond to each of you individually. I also believe that the information (lists) should come out in public domain. At the same time, the information was obtained for me by AID and they are also planning to file a case, pursue with the Government. I am also worried about my visa /passport if the govt takes any retaliatory measures against me or files case under the Official Secrets Act etc. for releasing the information
I have therefore decided to follow advice of Sarbajit Royji and complain that govt is ignoring claims of eminent civilians from being appointed as Information Commissioners in transparent manner. An illustrative list of 10 such eminent persons extracted from govt records is below.
"muzaffar bhatt, kamla bhasin, avinash murkute, amit b. jethawa, saraswati kavula, shahana bhattacharya, somya kidambi, dr.binayak sen, venkatesh nayak, amrapali basumatary"
best wishes to everyone
K Rajeshwar Rao
After a lot of coaxing and cajoling the following names have also be disclosed in bits and pieces.
swami agnivesh
admiral ln ramdas
admiral rh tahiliani
shahid burney
pushkar raj
pradeep ghosh
y singh n rajput
malay bhattacharya
ramesh agrawal
Amit Bhaduri
Arvind Kejriwal
Colin Gonsalves
Dr. Mira Shiva
Dunu Roy
E.A.S. Sarma
Harsh Mander
Himanshu Thakkar
Jagdeep Chhokar
Javed Naqvi
Madhu Bhaduri
Manoj Mitta
Nikhil De
Shabnam Hashmi
Teesta Setalvad
Trilochan Shastri
Vandana Shiva
Yogendra Yadav
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