Whispers Forum

I agree with the views expressed on PFI and whom to blame for this fiasco. Of course this raises many questions too. 1. What were multi-layer so many intelligence agencies doing since 1996. 2. If there are financial dealings of heavy value both with India and from abroad, what was DRI and other financial watch agencies including RBI, banks & Ministry of finance doing, were they in sleep mode, all banks are required to inform MOF & RBI of any fishy or heavy transactions. 3. What were governments doing from 1996 to 2022, were they blind to this serious issue. All the political parties who governed are solely responsible for this & must own responsibility including the present one. But I am positive our system is poor in governance that it dilutes everything by delay & finally the judiciary fails as they can't find evidence which is erased through dilution & delay tactics. As always the story will be dead finally into a grave.
Harish Kumar

Appellant had a personal grievance regarding schemes offered by Tata Sky DTH Services. He sought information about the schemes offered by Tata Sky DTH Services to its retail customers and the regulatory actions which can be taken by TRAI against service providers where they do not give the credit of the schemes offered by them to the eligible customers. The Commission observed that the TRAI is the controlling authority and therefore, whatever information was accessible u/s Sec 2(j) of the RTI Act by them was given. Further, the applicant’s plea that updated information should be given is considered in the interest of justice as the PIO also had admitted that the hyperlink given may not be working due to change of website domain etc. The CIC ruled that no action is taken on the complaint as no malafide intent could be found on the part of the PIO. However, in terms of the second appeal, the PIO was directed to make an effort to obtain the information from the service provider and the inputs received be forwarded to the appellant within 7 days from the date of receipt of the order.
Comments
The case law shows how the regulatory authority can be used to obtain information from a private service provided who is otherwise not covered under the definition of public authority.
Citation: Akshay Kumar Malhotra v. Telecom Regulatory Authority of India in CIC/TRAOI/A/2021/147091+ CIC/TRAOI/C/2021/145847, Date of Decision: 19/09/2022
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

The news that the Government is likely to review British influence on the culture, traditions and practices in the armed forces seems to have upset both veterans and serving officers. These traditions and practices were established a couple of centuries ago by the British as per the prevailing context. To claim these will not be changed 75 years after we attained Independence is not a tenable argument. The context has changed considerably and the armed forces will do well to change with the times. My appeal to Servicemen is “to change before you have to. Control your destiny. Otherwise someone will control it." See what happened to Railways and Ordnance factories. Failure to change with times resulted in change being thrust on them. So instead of wailing, seize the initiative, review the continued relevance, suitability and effectiveness of all your practices and introduce changes that are in tune with the ethos of an independent nation, its culture and traditions. Rest assured that if you don't act on your own change will be thrust on you.
Raghavan
Why postings of CITs without consideration of vacancies
Why is the CBDT rushing to post CITs without considering the 57 vacancies created by the recent promotion to the Pr CITs when they have already asked for their posting choices?
Ramesh

Extensions to the officers are bad in policy. Extension creates vested interests.
B K Saha, former Chief Secretary MP
Chief Minister of Rajasthan
Media reports say that Ms. Sonia Gandhi will shortly decide whether Rajasthan will have a new Chief Minister and if so she will nominate the person for this post. It is the constitutional right of the citizens of Rajasthan to choose their Chief Minister through their elected representatives. Is Ms. Gandhi a queen or viceroy or governor general to chief minister of an Indian State? One hopes that MLAs of Rajasthan will show gumption and show the lady where she belongs. How can one allow in independent India an extra-constitutional person, to designate a person as Chief Minister of an Indian state. One hopes that congress MLAs in Rajasthan act to put a stop to this utterly unconstitutional act once and for all.
Raghavan

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) is carrying out massive raids across the country to nab terror modules owned and funded by the Popular Front of India (PFI). Raids are being conducted on a day-to-day basis with religious regularity. On an average, 100 suspects are being captured every day from UP, Bihar, Delhi, Karnataka, Kerala, Punjab, and Maharashtra among others! The security, intelligence and investigation agencies are mandated to protect us from terror modules, sleeper cells having foreign links with ISI., KLF etc. The agencies have done us proud. No other country has possibly launched raids on such massive scales. But, is there any politics behind this? We Indians are fair-minded, experts in analyzing events through the political prism. Let us have a look at the flip side, can we ignore the impact assessment of terror raids on general public? How is it that despite all pre-emptive steps, terrorists continue to be active on Indo-Pak borders? No need to elaborate on daily killings in J&K. One substantive point on common perception. I wish to be upfront. The proud Indian citizens are getting increasingly suspicious about the timing of country-wide raids 24x7 on PFI and their lapdogs. So close to impending elections. The moot point is : How did India's experienced multiple agencies fail to anticipate the threat perception of PFI eight years back in 2014 when the current political dispensation took over? Even the top heavy security paraphernalia headed by a highly professional NSA, failed to see through PFI's gameplan. Why did it wait for the doom at the doorstep? Internal security is closely interlinked with external threats. This grave lapse explains why the terror modules ,even after so many years, are still having a free run in the country besides increasing their populations and vicious anti-national activities. The matter cannot be allowed to rest here. Someone has to own up the responsibility. The laidback bureaucratic pundits in the union Ministry of Home Affairs and the security professionals, have much to explain.
A K Saxena (a former civil servant)

The cocktail of religion and politics is explosive. The desire for absolute control over the people is the common thread in both the conditions. None of them want the common man to question them even though they claim to be ruling on behalf of them or for their benefit. All the religious bodies must be brought under the control of the Central Information Commission and should be forced to voluntary disclosure under section 4 of the RTI Act. Removing opacity would bring out the much needed reform in the working of the religious bodies.
Rajiv Bhatia
Economic crisis infinite
Dollar at 81 Mayhem. Economic crisis infinite, RBI in silent mode. Why no action plan with a vision plan for India by RBI and the dispensation. RBI should have intervened by entering into foreign exchange market by now. Dispensation is more worried and busy in strategy for 2024 elections. By now India should have had a vision policy to contain this problem. High time some way out to use the golden opportunity of rupee depreciation, exports can be increased through more incentives to exporters. Imports must be restricted now for a brief period till the situation improves. If no corrective action is taken fast, India will be doomed on the economic front, as a deep global recession too is in the offing.
Harish Kumar

All Indians are regularly watching provocative debates on TV channels, despite knowing their futility. The debates are rarely live but always rehearsed and recorded. These are attended by the self- proclaimed ‘political thinkers’, fighting like the uneducated illiterates. Leaders of different parties and their motor mouths are busy addressing rallies after rallies wearing branded clothes, colourful head gears, receiving bouquets, garlands , scarves from chatukaars. What is Rahul Gandhi's secret objective behind the on-going, country-wide padyatra? Can the country afford such wasteful expenditure? Divisive. The Hindus don saffron robes while the Indian Muslims appear in green attire. Do religions represent specific colours? This is the latest trend. Our politicians have a penchant for giving unsolicited advice. Scripted or tele-prompted, worse still, TV anchors get handsome remunerations for supporting the parties' spokespersons. All are tutored by political masters. One wonders, for how long will this tamasha continue? Can the Indian Hindus and Muslims not co-exist? They have been living together for centuries ,sharing the same composite culture? A majority of Hindus and Muslims wish to live together in peace and harmony. A miniscule, misled minority, however, is not on the same page. Disgusting. Why the judiciary is after passing observations, remains mute spectators. It is split from within. Kyaa Kabhi Achhe Din Aayengey? What is the way forward? First and the foremost, we must stop watching Indian TV news channels. All are owned by media houses ,whose businesses can be manipulated by the ruling political class. The controlled TV news channels dish out half-truths , sometimes, even, untruths. The debates are divisive, fuelling Hindu Muslim hatred. Instead, let us support digital platforms to get the correct perspective of whatever, good or bad, is taking place in the country. The Indian citizens are entitled to get authentic news, not trash. This is our fundamental right.
A K Saxena (A former civil servant)

Certified copy a report of fact finding committee constituted by the UGC, chaired by Mrs. Mamta Aggarwal, the then Joint Secretary, UGC, New Delhi and its supporting documents, were not provided and it was submitted that it is not available with the office of UGC, New Delhi. The CIC remarked that Fact finding Committee’s Report which has duly been produced before Hon’ble Supreme Court, is supposed to be available with the UGC, to which it was submitted that an effort would be made to locate the desired report, but there is another possibility of it being weeded out. The CIC observed that no information with respect to the instant RTI Application has been provided to the Appellant. The CIC further observed that the replies furnished by the UGC were inadequate, misleading and blithe, that too with inordinate delay. The CIC took grave exception for the cavalier and irresponsible conduct of the UGC and strictly admonishes them for the same. The CIC sternly cautioned the UGC that in future, they shall ensure that replies to the RTI Applications shall be provided with mindful approach and within a stipulated time-frame as specified in the provisions of the RTI Act. The CIC admonishes the UGC for poor management of the official records and cautioned them to remain careful in future. The CIC directed to make effort to search their records in a prudent manner to locate the report and provide the same along to the Appellant. The CIC directed to provide the record retention schedule and copy of the weeding out report to the Appellant with a copy marked to the CIC, in case the said Report has been weeded out.
Comments
In case of any claim of records being weeded out, the copy of destruction memo must be produced. This is one case where the CIC has admonished the public authority but has not preferred to invoke any penal provisions.
Citation: Rajesh Gill v. University Grants Commission in Second Appeal No. CIC/UGCOM/A/2021/111603, Date of Decision: 22.07.2022
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