The Right to Information is a momentous bill. However, I have a reason to be cynical about the same.
Traditionally the governments have chosen to throttle and gag the media. The fourth Estate has huge responsibilites but the present mess in the print and the television needs to be done away with. I would say, that there are islands of excellence in sea of mediocrity. A comment on the media isn’t warranted here though. The point is that Blogs give a new meaning to dissemination of ideas and information. This is the new form that Governments would definitely try and suppress. By pricing it either very high ( internet access ) or blocking the respective IP’s. While there are ways and means to circumvent the blocks ( by using Anonymiser software or new age Tor networks ) the initiatives are still far and few.
Coming back to the right to information. This allows any Indian to question the money’s worth. The level of investment, the leakages et al. While the appointment of Chief Information Officer has political overtones ( something that I wouldn’t comment on here ) it is hard to imagine the the beareaucracy would allow itself to be made accountable.
As regards to BSNL, I would want to have the following answers:
1) Why was Huawei awarded the tender for Broadband lines despite the fact that it has been under scanner of the intelligence agencies?
2) Why is BSNL persisting with the download limits and what is the exact nature of agreement with the upstream providers? How much does it actually cost BSNL per MB of data transfer?
3)Why has the unbundling of local loop been tanked? The right to information bill allows me to know the minutes of the meeting. I am sure that people up there would want to keep their chairs cosy.
4) Why does Department of Telecom the self appointed “regulator” and why doesn’t TRAI’s recommendations see the light of the day?
5) How much was paid for the licences and why havent the bank gurantees of the private players been encahsed for not venturing in the rural areas, despite the fact that it was one of their licencing conditions?
There are many questions and there has been a flip flop on the policies just to protect the short term interests of BSNL- in affect the consumers.
The only problem is that the mass of people choose to keep quiet. The purpose of the write ups here is that I am demanding information as a concerned citizen. My intent isnt to malaign any soul- howsoever evolved he/ she may be. As public servants, they ought to stand scrutiny for their actions because it is we who elected them in the first case to govern us. Arguably, the present set up isn’t “elected” in the true sense of the term as it doen’t enjoy the majority and vote of the electorate. Just oppurtune circumstances and the corpse worshippers who managed to get in power.
Just ask for your rights. Write to media, generate awareness and spread the word. Debate on the way our country needs to be governed and not accept the fate per se.
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