Whispers Forum

Happy birthday to Dalai Lama! Wish you a happy and healthy long life, to steer the Tibetan society through such testing times. Remember Marana Pratap and Mahatma Gandhi. Between those two heroes lives Buddhism, inspiring millions for more than 2500 years! Communism is already dead in lesser than two decades your age. However, like all religions, reforms are overdue in Buddhism globally. It is not the religion of the weak. But it must be proved. One Indian under the influence of Buddhism from his birthplace has already proved it in our own times. Religion is not for the hungry, starving or ailing. So, means of livelihood must be provided. The fingers producing goods and services are the first targets for the proselytisers, whether religious or political. I would like to quote two poetic gems: “bhooke bhajan na hoi Gopala, ye lo apni kanthimala” and, Rahiman paani rakhiyo binu paani sab soon, paani gaye na ubre moti manus choon”.
M L Gupta

Let us pause and ponder about the Emergency, illegally clamped in 1975 without the consent of competent authority. Post emergency, the recorded statements of individuals revealed that even the union cabinet was not taken into confidence before declaring the emergency. It was autocracy all the way.
Put honestly, as a fledgling civil servant, I would shudder to recall and re-live the horrors of that draconian phase. The civil servants must be held accountable for the atrocities committed during the period. The gutless bureaucrats, when asked to bend, chose to prostrate before the political class to demonstrate their proximity to the power that be. They were largely responsible for misleading the political supremo surrounded by the coterie of power-seeking,extra-constitutional authorities. The emergency gaslighted the civil servants with impunity. The bureaucrats behaved like excellent subordinates but bad advisors.
There was no freedom of press with authoritarianism galore. People talked in hushed tones fearing detentions or arrests.
The fundamental rights were suspended without approval of the competent authority.Hundreds of people including the government employees, private persons, journalists and politicians and so on, started disappearing suddenly. They either went underground or were taken into custody on slightest suspicions with no clue about their well being.
Fortunately, the self-assumed power of the political Executive for unilaterally imposing internal emergency,was subsequently withdrawn by the newly elected successor dispensation by carrying out appropriate,deterrent legislative measures.
A K Saxena ( Former civil servant)

While, commemorating the 50th anniversary of Emergency, some politicians have trained their guns on the 42nd Amendment for inserting the term “secular” in the Preamble of the Constitution. This has raised an unsavoury controversy. It is noteworthy that even the Supreme court in its landmark judgement in the Kesavananda Bharti case (1973) preceding the amendment ,upheld the view that secularism is the basic structure of the Constitution. The court found no rationale in deleting the demand for its exclusion. Secularism is not a mere word but an article of faith in the manner we proudly define nationalism and inclusive democracy. Let us stay united with all co-existing faiths and set the on-going controversy at rest.
A K Saxena ( Former civil servant)

One small step in the journey of the sovereign democratic republic of India in these 78 years can be summed up in “tears to cheers”. Indians born 21st Century would not know what tears majority of the population had shed in the previous Century. Even 78 world class books will not provide a complete view. But the Indian films had faithfully captured the reality and essence of that India in tears. That India produced the best poetry and music as “our sweetest songs are those tell of saddest thoughts”. That India was also dominated by alien notions of communism and socialism etc. Before the turn of the century, India had discarded fully communism and socialism and all other isms. Today more than 95 Crore people are covered by social security according to the ILO. The World Bank report shows that extreme poverty rate in India has declined from 27.1% in 2011-12 to 5.3% in 2022-23, which means that the number of people living in extreme poverty fell from 344.47 million to 75.24 million and 269 million people were lifted out of extreme poverty. Today’s India is cheerful and determined to achieve greater heights. In these 78 years we the people of India have crossed insurmountable hurdles and become the world’s 4th Economy. The challenges today are more geopolitics related, but nothing can deter us. Our journey these 78 years was not stopped even for a day, because we are a knowledge society, hardworking and entrepreneurial. The full potential of our youth needs to be realized. They ought to be given support and rewarding tax laws, so that they enjoy the fruits of their labour without cutting corners.
M L Gupta

The appellant sought data on customer satisfaction ratings for SBI services from its inception to the current date and asked for the categorization of ratings by type of service and other related information. The PIO provided certain information and clarified before the CIC that data sought on certain points of the RTI application was not available in the desired format. The CIC upheld the order of the CIC. The CIC brought it to the notice of the respondent that in a series of matters filed by the same appellant against a different public authority i.e IDPL (File nos. CIC/IDPCL/A/2024/612395 and CIC/IDPCL/A/2024/604666) an order was passed to veracity of the appellant’s BPL status. The CIC advised the respondent to exercise due caution with respect to the future RTI application received from the appellant relying on his BPL status.
Comments
There is no specific section of the RTI Act, 2005 or rule which prescribes whether the verification of the BPL status should be done, if the PIO has doubts regarding the same. If there are any suspicions, the PIO could ask for the BPL certificate to verify the status of the RTI applicant.
Citation: Rachhpal Singh Saini v. State Bank of India, CIC/SBIND/A/2024/602064; Date of Decision: 22.05.2025
Dr Anuradha Verma (dranuradhaverma@yahoo.co.in) is a RTI Consultant currently working with IIM Vishakhapatnam. She has co-authored the books PIO’s Guide to RTI and Right to Information – Law and Practice. Her weekly article is being published since 2008 on this site. She offers consultancy on RTI matters and third party audit to individuals / organisations. Her other articles can be read at the website of RTI Foundation at the link https://www.rtifoundationofindia.com