Despite RTI activists across Maharashtra taking up the cause of last week’s shameful attack on this Latur-based activist, appealing to the Chief Minister to take action against culprits, nothing has moved.
What does one get in return of filing 78 complaints with the Zilla Parishad and the Latur Municipal Corporation regarding usurping of 10,80,000 sq ft of government land (27.5 acres) and several other cases of financial misappropriations? Especially, when due to these complaints, action was taken by authorities in 72 cases leading to disciplinary action against seven officers and four officials, facing suspension?
In return, last week, Latur based Right to Information (RTI) activist Mallikarjun Bhaikatti, who has been procuring vital information using the Act, was brutally assaulted leading to hospitalisation. Members, allegedly from Shiv Sena attacked him with fistful blows and kicks, lashing him with chains and even allegedly poured black oil used in bullock cart wheels (vangan in local lingo). He is recuperating in a hospital and needs a couple of weeks more to be discharged.
Mallikarjun says, “It (the attack) was triggered because I held a press conference after the Latur Industrial Estate Cooperative Society Ltd was dissolved and departmental inquiry was ordered against Zilla Parishad officials as sequel to my complaint. The next day someone called me up to say they want to felicitate me. I declined but mentioned that I would be going to the Collector’s office.’’
They kept a watch on and when he got down from his house put him in their vehicle, switched off his mobile, took him to a local college and attacked him in front of 4,000 odd students.
This was expected, going by the threats that Malikarjun used to receive and had therefore asked for police protection, about six months back. However, he has yet to get police protection, even now after the assault. “The District Collector also had recommended to the police that I be given protection but it has fallen on deaf ears. Even now, they have kept a lady constable in my house but I have not been given any protection in the hospital,” Mallikarjun says.
RTI activists across Maharashtra, led by Vijay Kumbhar who promptly took up the issue, formally wrote a letter to the Chief Minister (see box) demanding action against the culprits, as they were allegedly members of his political alliance party.
Kumbhar says, “I received a reply, stating that I should file this complaint in the grievance redressal cell of the state government.’’
While mum is the word from CM Devendra Fadnavis, despite vocal protests on streets against this incident in Latur, neither have the culprits been caught nor has the state government officially condemned this incident.
“Generally such kinds of assaults, if they happen beyond Mumbai and Pune, do not get attention from the main stream media. However, despite this brutal attack having caught national attention, nothing has moved regarding either Malikarjun’s security or stern action in finding and booking the culprits. That’s how casually the lives of whistle blowers are taken, in Maharashtra, which is known as progressive, but with record of maximum assaults on them,” Kumbhar says.
States RTI activist and former CIC, Shailesh Gandhi, said, “I spoke to Latur Superintendent of Police Dnyaneshwar Chavan, who has assured me that he would ensure protection to victim and his family. FIR has been registered and the sections applied are attempt to murder (307), abduction and others. He said they have arrested one person and according to their information the main accused have absconded out of the state. The SP told me that they have good leads and will pursue to see that the assailants spend at least some time in prison. I suggest we try and write to CM through Aaple Sarkar portal.’’
Gandhi has also sent a disturbing video to CM Fadnavis, stating, “I am enclosing a disturbing video of an attack on a RTI user by some goondas in Latur. I request you to immediately order the arrest of these attackers and the most stringent sections of the law should be applied to them. The pain in the eyes of the victim is a pain that all right thinking citizens feel. I am sure you will also feel the same pain. The safety of the victim must be ensured by the state, failing which this will be jungle raj. ‘’
Will the culprits will really be caught or will it be a game of cat and mouse between the police and the culprits?
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| Letter written to CM by RTI activists across Maharashtra | | | | From: vijay kumbhar <[email protected]> Date: 2015-10-31 12:22 GMT+05:30 Subject: ‡‡ •œ ˆ•ŸŸ€ ‚ •- —‚‚ •ˆ • To: [email protected], "Hon'ble. Mr.Devendra Fadnavis" <[email protected]>, Devendra Fadanvis <[email protected]>, [email protected], Amitabh Ranjan <[email protected]> | | | €
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(Vinita Deshmukh is consulting editor of Moneylife, and also convener of the Pune Metro Jagruti Abhiyaan. She is the recipient of prestigious awards like the Statesman Award for Rural Reporting which she won twice in 1998 and 2005 and the Chameli Devi Jain award for outstanding media person for her investigation series on Dow Chemicals. She co-authored the book “To The Last Bullet - The Inspiring Story of A Braveheart - Ashok Kamte” with Vinita Kamte and is the author of “The Mighty Fall”.)
