‘RTI Act misused by chaiwallahs, panwadis’

NEW DELHI: The Congress and NCP, which were responsible for writing the RTI act, highlighted its “misuse” on Thursday and asked the government to take remedial measures.

NCP leader Praful Patel said in the Rajya Sabha that even chaiwallahs or tea-sellers and paanwadis (paan-seller) want information on the country’s missile system and such tendencies have to be checked.

“Some panwadi or chaiwallah can also ask who made a missile programme or anything on international relations,” he said, asking the government if it was “willing to consider amending the act”.

PM Narendra Modi, who was present in the House, laughed at Patel’s choice of metaphors to describe how people with no “locus standi” try to access crucial details.

Modi often refers to his humble past and reminds people that he once sold tea at a railway station in Gujarat.

Patel soon realised his gaffe and said he did not intend to taunt Modi. Like Modi, the BJP lawmakers too laughed off the comment. Congress’s Rajeev Shukla flagged the issue, saying some people have turned the phrase “RTI activist” into a designation and a profession. “Are they (government) aware it is also being misused? People have cards mentioning ‘RTI activist’. Money is being earned.”

The junior minister in the PMO, Jitendra Singh, said the government will keep the concerns of the members in mind.

“...the RTI may cut down the initiative of an officer ... the government is equally concerned. We are concerned that nothing must be done which intimidates or causes unnecessary harassment to any officer,” Singh said.