RTI has given us a chance to get back our 'Swaraj': Shailesh Gandhi

Mumbai, Mar 28 (UNI) Noted Right to Information (RTI) Act activist Shailesh Gandhi today said 'Swaraj' ''which we were supposed to have got in 1947 was actually only an illusion, but now with the RTI act we have a real chance of getting it.'' Shailesh Gandhi was delivering the Bansari Seth Memorial lecture at the Asiatic Society of Mumbai here today.

Mr Gandhi said that in 1947 it was only a transfer of power from the white to the brown, but as individuals we did not get freedom in the real sense of the word.

''Democracy means that each and every person is sovereign in his own right and this essence of democracy has been absent so far, but with the RTI Act we can get this essence back,'' he added.

Speaking about the RTI, Mr Gandhi said that this act does work and is extraordinarily simple. ''This act recognises sovereignity of the individual for the first time in India.'' He said that according to this act if the information wanted is not provided within 30 days then the Public Information Officer of that department or governmental organisation will have to pay a penalty of Rs 250 per day the information is denied and this has helped many to know the status of work for which information is sought.

He also gave examples of how the poor have used this act in their own small way to make a contribution in reducing corruption.

Stating that at the moment he would term the success of this act at 40 per cent in making changes in the way the government works, Mr Gandhi said if more and more people make use of this act, I am sure within three years we would be able to make a better society to live in.

UNI