Whispers Forum

The opposition is trying to make an issue out of deportation of illegal immigrants by the USA to India and their handcuffing and shackling. Their logic is: shackling and handcuffing Indians who were illegal entrants to the USA is inhuman and a national humiliation. This is a misplaced argument. The USA is handcuffing and shackling the male passengers since they are in large numbers and there could be a worst case scenario wherein some of them may try to make desperate or violent attempts to overpower the crew while airborne at thousands of feet. It is to prevent such a possibility that the USA's law enforcement agencies are shackling the illegal migrants and handcuffing them. Seen from a purely security point of view, it makes sense because any such misguided attempt, if at all made, may endanger the life of the rest of the deportees, security personnel, pilots and crew and others.
V K Reddy

The RTI applicant had applied online on the Parivahan website (parivahan.gov.in) for issuing an NOC. On not getting a response, he filed an application under the RTI Act requesting to provide two duly stamped hardcopies of the NOC through post. The PIO replied that the NOC is approved today and the applicant can download the NOC from the website. The CIC observed that the appropriate reply has been furnished by the PIO. Noting that the PIO had abstained from the hearing despite being served the notice, the CIC admonished the conduct of the CPIO for remaining absent during the hearing.
Comments
It is a typical case where a citizen has used the power of RTI Act to make a government official perform a specific function beyond seeking information.
Citation :Keshav Khanna v. Municipal Corporation of Chandigarh, CIC/STAUT/A/2023/649724; Date of Decision: 14.01.2025
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

It is extremely humiliating to send back illegal Indian immigrants handcuffed and in military aircraft from the USA. These included 25 women and 13 minors in the age group of 4-17. This is completely unacceptable as Indian students pay billions of dollars in fees to US universities every year for worthless degrees. Watching these Indians land at Amritsar airport, the question becomes pertinent as to what is more shameful - sending back illegal immigrants handcuffed and completely humiliated in military aircraft or that so many desperate Indians could not fulfill their dreams in their homeland and were forced to take the dunki route? The US has deported illegal immigrants before, but this is the first time that a military aircraft was used for this purpose and their hands and feet were shackled like hardened criminals. Is Washington trying to send a message to Delhi by doing this?
Neha Singh

Known for its rich culture & heritage, country of Mohan Das Karamchand Gandhi, Nehru and now Modi, India always hearty welcome people from diversified religion & region. The way President Trump deported Indians was very rude & insane. In this short span of life world leaders should be an example for all of us & the public always believe & trust & look for these great personalities in harder times. No matter few Indians were illegal emigrants, President Trump must have communicated PM Modi for a smooth deportation. Public of both countries will be happy to see settling misunderstandings between both the Leaders for a happy living in this small life.
Vivek Dhawan

The US has shocked India, the world’s largest democracy, by deporting illegal Indian immigrants- handcuffed with shackled legs. The US the oldest democracy, was expected to treat the deportees with dignity and empathy. Human rights violation. India is left with no option but to accept them to keep the US in good humour. This is the first tranche of deportees. More will follow in due course. India should be extremely circumspect in verifying the credentials / documents of deportees. The US has the sovereign right to decide on deportation in its national interest and security. However, there is a grave risk of some criminals, particularly those hailing from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Nepal, to sneak into India, camouflaged as illegal immigrants. All things considered, there is a lesson to learn for India from the experience. On the analogy of action by the US, India should also carry out population cleansing by deporting illegal immigrants having infiltrated from neighbouring countries, irrespective of their religious identities and denominations, for possessing certain undesirable characteristics. The rohingyas, for instance, scattered across the country, pose a potential threat to India.
A K Saxena (Former civil servant)

Recently seen raids on business establishments in Bhopal by the Enforcement Directorate were well planned by one of the Political families from Bihar for personnel benefits. The interesting fact was the business person was warned 10 days in advance by Biharis that such an operation will be done on a particular date & manage if you can. The result was nothing & ED has to conclude the raid the same day, matter of fact is such decorated agencies are now a days working only for politicians and creating ruckus for Business establishments. Henceforth ED has also issued Notice to Political family for breaking the silence resulting in failure of raid.
Vivek Dhawan
Sincere workers can manage both office and residence
It is the shirkers who resist any increase in working hours. It is the dishonest & lethargic people who shirk work and do their job in time. If you have a healthy, normal & disciplined both in your house and office you can easily regulate your life and never crib. Normally people who indulge in adultery in their relations are not able to manage both the office and residence. If one is sincere and works hard & for longer duration in life he will never get schizophrenia and depression.
A Srivastava

The L&T chairperson’s recent suggestion about introducing 90-hour a week in offices, is inhuman, anti-people, reflecting a capitalist mindset. The thoughtless limit is significantly higher than even the 70-hour work-week advocated by the Infosys chairperson. Let us look at it dispassionately with a 360 degree perspective.
The suggestion has sparked off a controversy about productivity, work-life balance.life-long consequences and future of corporate culture. Need it hardly be mentioned that the employees working in corporate sector do not get salaries and perks at par with their founders and top management?Large time is wasted by them for reaching offices due to inadequate transport facilities. In this context, China’s infamous ‘996’ work culture, expecting employees to work from 9am to 9pm, six days a week, was condemned as modern-day slavery. Countries like Malaysia, South Korea, Singapore and Japan had once introduced long working hours. However, this was soon given up due to high social costs.
Worse, working beyond 40 to 50 hours a week, is fraught with diminishing returns leading to mental and physical stress and health issues resulting in negative impact in the form of accidents and even costly mistakes. Is this corporate culture?.Employees have to be treated with dignity and empathy instead of leaving them to die due to over-work at work places. By introducing a 7-day week with no week-ends off, how much time will be left to spend with families? Worse still, nuclear families, with no support services will be the worst-hit.
Having said that, I would urge the business honchos to refrain from making such sweeping statements without considering all relevant facts, unsupported by evidence to get cheap publicity. The government, as the model employer, one is sure, will never allow such top-down imposition of long working hours in office without consulting the stake-holders.
A K Saxena (Former civil servant)

The RTI applicant alleged that the registered scrap dealer in association with the ASI of the Transport Department, Delhi, instead of sending the vehicle to the registered scrapping yard, opens it at another location and sells its parts. He stated that this information can be verified through the CCTV footage of the registered pang yard. After the vehicle is picked up by the Transport Department's team, it is checked whether the vehicle has gone to the registered pang yard at the given address or been sent elsewhere. After a few days, the owner receives messages regarding the registration and related payment on the provided phone number. The applicant sought certain information relating to the same. The CIC held that the instant RTI application has not been adequately answered and directed the PIO to revisit the contents of RTI application and provide revised information. The CIC issued an advisory under Section 25(5) of the RTI Act to the Transport Department, GNCTD, for (i) amending the concerned Rules to incorporate the provisions for inspection of seized end-of-life vehicles to its owner; and (ii) upfront disclosure of information regarding Rules, Bye laws, SoP, Guidelines, Office Orders governing RVSFs (Registered Vehicle Scrapping Facilities) under Section 4 of the RTI Act in public domain, to make it easy for a layperson particularly vehicle owners to get relevant information through website.
Comments
The Transport Department has ordered the registered dealer to retain the engine number and chassis number by cutting and preserving them. The guidelines for releasing end of life vehicle (ELV) seized as part of enforcement drive should be put in public domain. If section 4 of the RTI Act is implemented fully, it would relieve the Public Authority of the burden of RTI Applications.
Citation :V Singh v. Transport Department, Delhi, CIC/TDDEL/A/2023/649458; Date of Decision: 16.01.2025
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