Whispers Forum

A large number of traffic accidents take place every year because of potholes which have spread like an epidemic across most roads in India. Accidents take place either due to two wheelers trying to avoid them or by falling in them. They are giving rise to strange and cruel situations, because the criminal liability for the accident is falling on the scooterist, for “rash and negligent driving”! In 2015 in Mumbai, a scooter being driven by a young lady with her mother on the pillion fell in a pothole. The injured women were admitted to a hospital, where the mother died. The police booked the crime against the daughter. In 2016 in Bengaluru, an IT professional and his wife were injured when their scooter fell in a pothole. The police booked an offence against the husband. This is the case with all pothole related accidents, which adds salt to injury. It is time that responsibility was fixed for the existence of these death traps on our roads, apart from encroached footpaths and dug up roads.
Available figures show that from 2013 to 2016, 11,836 people died and 36,421 were injured due to pothole related accidents. In 2020 alone 3564 pothole related accidents occurred. The new Motor Vehicles Act of 2020 justifiably prescribes imprisonment for three years for guardians of juveniles who commit car accidents. Surely this principle of vicarious liability can be extended to defaulting civic authorities. The law cannot be a mute spectator if civic authorities have given up on accountability. Various honourable High Courts such as of Mumbai and Karnataka have already directed the civic authorities to prevent occurrence of potholes, but the desired results have not come about. Criminal liability alone can eradicate these death traps. It is worth noting that the measure suggested above would not cost a rupee to the exchequer to be implemented and would save precious lives and limbs and crores of rupees spent on repairing these potholes which reappear again.
A R Pawar
Former DGP Madhya Pradesh

The drug menace in Bollywood is not new. Even some of the famous stars of yesteryear’s were reportedly involved in some of the other form of drug abuse – whether usage, possession or transit. What seems to be new is, perhaps for the first time a child of any star has been allegedly found to be involved in it. It is so because for these so called “celebrities” drugs is a symbol of style and since they are expensive and not available everywhere, they try to brag about it rather than actually creating awareness on the hazardous effects of these on the young generation who unfortunately view bollywood actors as 'superstars' or 'idols'.
The NCB has been doing a commendable job - conducting raids especially after the Sushant Singh Rajput case and has even summoned many top actors who have a massive fan following. While it is no secret that these things have been going on in bollywood since a long time, it is up to us as audiences to decide whether we want such people to represent our country's values who on one hand try to act as heroes and on the other end are trying to promote all the wrong habits in the country.
Ravi

The Appellant filed an online RTI application seeking the information about the names of sponsored students and their sponsoring organisations who completed their M.Tech from Department of Computer Science and Engineering of IIT Kharagpur during 1983 - 2019. Part of the information was provided while it was informed that the remaining data is not available. The CIC observed that it is personal information of third parties and ignoring this aspect the CPIO has erred in giving the details of said students through his first reply without seeking consent of such students under Section 11 of RTI Act. The CPIO was advised to exercise due diligence and follow due process of law as per the RTI Act while divulging the third party’s personal information to the applicants.
Comments
An overenthusiastic (ignorant?) PIO may not follow the procedure and disclose personal information of third party. Such an act may lead to loss or detriment to the third party for which a compensation may be claimed. It calls for regular training of the PIO and FAA as such mistakes are being done by a large number of officers.
Citation: Har Sukhdeep Singh v. Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur in File No: CIC/IITKH/A/2020/106698; Date of Decision: 21/09/2021
Dr. Anuradha Verma (dranuradhaverma@yahoo.co.in) is an expert on RTI matters and has co-authored the books RIGHT TO INFORMATION - LAW AND PRACTICE and PIO’s guide to RTI. Apart from her weekly article here, her other articles can be read at the website of RTI Foundation of India at the link: www.rtifoundationofindia.com

A campaign has been started recently for disposal of pending matters on the initiative of the Prime Minister.
By Government's own admission, two Lakh grievances are pending disposal in various ministries and departments.
The Prime Minister started in right earnest with his slogan of Transparency and Accountability in Governance. Over time, great amount of laxity has developed, coupled with the ingrained indifference and casual approach of bureaucracy right from the Secretary downwards.
It is learnt that majority of the grievances as well as suggestions received are given cursory attention and files are closed with unconvincing responses to the citizens who made them.
Sadly, even the Ministers have not been vigorously pursuing with the Bureaucracy to become more responsive and show positive approach. Recently, MOHFW Minister is believed to have directed that all citizen suggestions need to be responded by an office of JS level. Sadly, the lower levels have chosen to ignore.
Now, a strong action plan needs to be worked out at the PMO level and ensure that non-attendance or casual responses to citizen issues will be added as a black mark in the bureaucrats' career profile.
A K Singh
Madan Mohan has hit bull's eye
It’s highly commendable that Madan Mohan has hit bull's eye and called a spade a spade about the inherent bias in WIC reporting, which we as reader were noticing but deliberately ignoring because most of us are interested in latest news.
Rakesh

DEBATE (1)
Dreaming in the name of PM anyone can be like Mamta Banarjee/ Nitish Kumar think but PM materials must be away from personal vendetta/ jealousy and confident enough to sacrifice for their country but none of them . Shri Modi has vision and allows officers or others to shine but others don’t. So at present no one is competing to be the present PM.
Kumar
DEBATE(2)
Only Modi after Modi.
If no Modi, Yogi / Amit Shah will do.
Antu Jain
DEBATE (3)
I was having the same question a few days ago and discussing this in my friend circle although we would not like to see the day when India needs to find his successor soon. However, India as a country and BJP as a party should always have a backup plan. The contender will be many for the PM post, however I think the following could be the options without any order of preference:
1. Nitin Gadkari
2. Amit Shah
3. Yogi Adityanath
4. Smriti Irani, in case a women candidate is preferred by BJP to kill the aspirations of Mamata and Priyanka. I would love to see the cat fight in this case.
Narendra Rawat
DEBATE (4)
This question mark itself has lost its relevance in the changed circumstances. The presumption of "other things remaining the same" never occurs in politics. Whosoever has occupied the chair of PM has proved to be better than his/her predecessor. History since 1964 till date is testimony to this fact. One thing is certain and that is "nobody is indispensable." There are white horses as well as dark horses who will win the race.
Raj Kumar Thakur

Debate (1)
India is fortunate to have Narendra Modi as Prime Minister. At the moment, it is unthinkable to have another leader to fill in his shoes.
Harshit
Debate (2)
Apart from Prime Minister Narendra Modi, I can only think of Amit Shah and Nitin Gadkari as national leaders, who possess necessary qualities to rule the nation.
Satpal
Debate (3)
Narendra Modi remains hugely popular among the masses. Other than him, Amit Shah and Yogi Adityanath could be possible choices.
Sunil
All Secretaries were affectionate
I had no such experience during my entire period of service. All the Secretaries under whom I had worked were very affectionate.
A R Rao

DEBATE(1)
I am of the view that Modi has emerged as the tallest leader in the country. So far, no other leader appears to take on him. He may continue.
Priyanka Agrawal
DEBATE(2)
In my opinion, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari would be a more effective Prime Minister for the country. At present, no other leader has a vision similar to Gadkari for the development of the country. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath is also a prime ministerial candidate. If the Congress is able to secure a majority, then Rahul Gandhi should get an opportunity to become the Prime Minister.
Rameshwar Dhakad
DEBATE(3)
I am really astonished when I read people suggesting the names of Mamta Banerjee, Kanhaiya Kumar or Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi as the potential PM Candidate. Bhai kuch to soch kar likho. India's PM has to be a true nationalist first.
Madhu Kapoor
Only BJP will rule the roost atleast for a decade
The Hindus of this country, as on date, are a united lot in the country. At least for the next one decade you will not see any other party coming to power other than BJP. The immature way, with which the opposition is behaving, there is no other chance of any other party to come to power. People are not realizing that Mamta Bannerjee won the Assembly elections in West Bengal only because of the fact that the Muslims population took a unanimous decision that if they voted for any other party/candidate they would be benefiting the BJP, who in turn would have turned out of the state of West Bengal the illegal migrants both from the Bangladesh and Myanmar.
Anurag Srivastava

DEBATE(1)
When Devegowda and I K Gujral can become PM, anyone can become PM in the country.
I D Khatri
DEBATE(2)
The three prime ministerial candidates in the country are-- Narendra Modi, Amit Shah and Rahul Gandhi. There is no leader of national appeal and there is no other party of national level in the country except the BJP and the Congress. The Opposition has no PM face. If a Third Front is formed before 2024, which is highly unlikely, then we can have a PM face from the Third Front. In Congress, currently only Rahul has the public appeal to be projected as PM candidate. Modi is the first choice as PM candidate and in ruling BJP Shah is the only possibility except Modi.
Samyak Jain
DEBATE (3)
I still believe that Navin Patnaik, Nitin Gadkari and Rajnath Singh have the ability and vision to be worthy successor of Modi. Having said that, it must be noted that this century has thrown up big surprises. Nobody thought Vajpayee will lose in 2004. Bigger surprise was choice of Manmohan Singh as PM. Still bigger surprise was arrival of Modi on the national political scene and he definitely conquered everything on his way. Now Modi- Shah combination is an international brand. Modi is destined to continue. But when he is ready to hand over, it may be another surprise for all of us.
Kumar
Benefits of caste based reservations erroneous
It is quite difficult to understand why the benefits of caste based reservations are given to adherents of religions other than Hinduism since adherents of non-Hindu religions do not have to suffer the indignities perpetuated by the caste system and these religions have universal brotherhood as their basic tenet. It is high time this system is altered. The adherents of these religions should be covered by the reservations under the Economically Weaker sections and quota in the OBC for these religions should be reduced proportionately from there and added to the EWS category.
Vijay Kumar