By Raja Bilal

Denounce Law Head’s remarks dubbing RTI Activists as big blackmailers.

More than forty new RTI Activists joined hands with J&K RTI Foundation at Municipal Committee Magam on Sunday and chalked out at strategy to counter Rural Development and Law Minister Abdul Haq Khan’s controversial remarks dubbing RTI Activists a d big blackmailers from the floor of J&K State Legislative Assembly.
After a two hour long discussion the group decided to collectively write to Mr. Haq and meet him personally to protest against his remarks. During the meeting they will demand the law minister to clear his stand on his statement and name the RTI Applicants who are involved in blackmailing.

During the meeting Chairman J&K RTI Foundation Er. Irfan Banka said, “Instead of labelling all RTI Activists as blackmailers, the government should insist on compliance with section 4 of J&K RTI Act in line with the DOPT OM and display all RTI Applications and replies on website which will reduce the need for RTI Applications and any charge of blackmailing”.
The meeting also endorsed the Hon’ble Chief Information Commissioner Mr. Khurshid Ahmad Ganaie’s notifications and orders for the implementation of Section 4 and expressed dissatisfaction over its non-compliance by Public Authorities.
After the meeting all the Activists including Sheikh Maqbool, Karar Reshi, Anjan Bilal, Sajad Hussain, Gulzar Ahmad, Arif Ismael, Mohd Yousf, Riyaz Bhat and other senior Activists held a strong protest against the irresponsible and illegitimate statement of Law Minister about the devoted RTI Activists. RTI Bachao Movement was started with the slogans “RTI Bachao RTI Mitaw”.
“RTI Act is a revolutionary tool in the hands of a common man and the Activists are selflessly working for its promotion and awareness in the state. The government instead of encouraging the activists for their work is defaming them which is quite unacceptable,” said Sheikh Maqbool who is Spokesperson J&K RTI Foundation.
Gulzar Ahmad, a senior activists, expressed deep anger over Haq Khan’s statement saying that we have uncountable success stories on RTI and government has no right to defame us if we are leaving our daily work for the awareness of RTI in the state.