Several RTI activists under the banner of J&K RTI Foundation held protests in Magam town against the minister for rural development and law minister Abdul Haq Khan’s remarks dubbing RTI activists as “big blackmailers.”
“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,” the protesters maintained.
The 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 protestors demanded that the minister should come clear about his statement regarding RTI activists.