[GJM] Suggestions Invited

[Milap Choraria]

Suggestions Invited
   
  In a democracy, ‘Right to Know’ or ‘Suchna Ka Adhikar’ is an important Human and Fundamental Right of the Citizen. There is no doubt that ‘Voting Right’ is important, but the present Voting system, do not ensure representative character within elected representatives, thus left immune from any commitment to deliver their Masters: Voters. Democratic aspirations of the people of India, enumerated in the Preamble of the Indian Constitution, cannot be fulfilled, unless fundamental principles essential for a democracy are not translated in action. ‘Right to Know’ or ‘Suchna Ka Adhikar’ is derived and inferred from Article 19(1)(a) of the Constitution and also from those fundamental principles, as one step forward, empowering the ‘VOTERS’ to use it as a powerful tool, to have some control over the reins of the powers, its functioning and to check wrong doings of the power mongers. In this respect a lot of activism and ground work to create awareness amongst the people has been
 done, wherein Shri Anna Hazare, and Mrs. Aruna Roy have played leading roles along with several individuals and organisations. I have also parted in the issue by submitting my detail suggestions for amendment in the Official Secrets Act, in Civil Writ Petition (PIL) No. 151 of 1996 before Supreme Court of India. After enactment of the Right to Information Act, 2005, the voice of the individual common man bloomed into a strong voice of the people of India. I myself submitted about 400 applications to different Public Authorities. But, after enactment of the law, the ‘Babus’ in the Government started feeling the heat of the Right, as they suffered from fearing that the corrupt practices would be in a way to be exposed. 
               
  Democracy requires an informed citizenry and transparency in information which are vital to its functioning, to check the corruption and to hold governments and their instrumentalities accountable to the governed. In the context, we need to strengthen the aforesaid Law providing more teeth to deal with the wrong doers, who try to hoodwink the principle of the ‘Right to Know’ or ‘Suchna Ka Adhikar’. To establish a practical regime of ‘Right to Know’ or ‘Suchna Ka Adhikar’ for citizens, in order to promote complete transparency and accountability, the access to the ‘information’ under the control and in the process of working of every public authority should be ensured. Secrecy must be exceptional and subjective. At any cost, no authority should be allowed to misuse the exceptionality, to protect the corrupt practices at any level and any kind. 
   
  Therefore, need of the hour is to make the Right to Information, a vibrant “All-India Movement”, committed individuals working towards making government and society more transparent and accountable, seeking, manifestation of the laudable assurances given to the people in general through the expressions given in the PREAMBLE of the Indian Constitution. With such a views broadly speaking, the idea is to publish a monthly Magazine, Title of which already is approved by the Registrar of Newspaper for India.  
   
  Therefore need of the time is also to spread the printing and publishing of the Magazine, in the local languages at the local levels, at the maximum possible at each and every City/District in the Country, so maximum coverage to local issues relating to ‘Right to Know’ or ‘Suchna Ka Adhikar’ is possible, and each local edition should be independent, in all respects. Single Title of the Magazine would help in strengthening its impact, as well as it would help in uniting the people as a combined strength, from different parts of the country. 
   
  To give it a concrete shape, to publish a Magazine under single title with a public cause, with the support from different people from different part of India, suggestions are invited as to what should be details for the working including the broad terms and conditions acceptable to all, for such a publication. 
   
  Your Suggestion may be on any of the following or any other incidental issues thereto:
  ·         the formation, constitution, and responsibilities of the Advisory Board for the Magazine with the cause of the Right to Know; (You can also suggest few names of some Eminent Person from the Society, committed to the Cause of the Right to Know, to include in the Advisory Board, after their concurrence). 
  ·         selection of Local NGO or Individual: entrusted with the editing and publishing responsibility, for the ‘Local Edition’ of the Magazine;
  ·         code of conducts for the Publishers and Editors of the Local Editions, so no one can allowed to commit yellow journalism;
  ·         financial relationship between the Magazine and Local Edition;
  ·         minimum number of copies of the Local Edition of the Magazine should be allowed to start with;
  ·         minimum number of pages of the Local Edition of the Magazine should be allowed to start with;
  ·         principle to fix price for Local Edition in consideration of the estimated cost, prospects for advertisement, and availability of profit for the Publishers and Editors of the Local Edition; and     
  ·         any other related issue.
  Hope for your favour with encouraging suggestion.
  Milap Choraria
  B-5/52, Sector-7, Rohini, Delhi-110085
  suchnakaadhikar at yahoo.com
  http://suchnakaadhikar.tripod.com 


TRUTH SHALL ALWAYS PREVAIL
Milap Choraria  Editor: Suchna Ka Adhikar
National Convenor : Movement for Accountability to Public (MAP) 
http://milapchoraria.tripod.com/msp

 				
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