It refers to the shocking murder of yet another whistle-blower RTI activist Amit Jethwa in Gujarat. Immediate concrete steps are needed at the highest level. Fortunately in a mud of politically corrupt system, we also have some ideals like Sonia Gandhi and Dr Manmohan Singh. A super-high level meeting between Chairperson of National Advisory Council, Prime Minister, Chief Information Commissioner, and acknowledged RTI crusaders should be urgently summoned to trace practical ways for preventing murder of RTI activists and other whistle-blowers.
It is an irony that criminals and corrupt ones in our political system get security, while whistle-blowers have threat to life from such notorious politicians or those patronised by them. If our governance system cannot provide security for those who have a crusade to expose corruption, our elected representatives also should not have any right to burden exchequers heavily for their security which in most cases is nothing but status-symbol. Security-cover of all Parliamentarians, members of state-legislatures and ministers (both central and state) should be abolished till foolproof security may be provided for whistle-blowers. Those who are worried of their life due to being in public life need not contest elections.
Only President, Vice president, Prime Minister and Chief Ministers should be provided security-cover apart from some others like members of Nehru-Gandhi family who are under high-risk of militant-threats. Things can automatically improve when our system gets refined to an extent that people like Aruna Roy, Arvind Kejriwal etc may not have any hesitation to replace present breed of corrupt politicians running politics like money-minting business-shops.
Subhash Chandra Agrawal
Delhi