Harpal Singh is 60 and has fire in his belly. A retired Indian Airlines operator, Singh has filed roughly 25 RTI (Editor: Right to Information Act) applications from October 13, 2006. This is his way of fighting corruption, favouritism and nepotism in the aviation sector. He tells Shobha John why he bothers to file RTI queries and if they do the job.
What type of information have you asked for?
On many issues: Why has GMR, the private developer of Delhi airport, been charging high parking and user development fees? Why have arrears been paid to AI and not to IA (since 1997) despite their merger? Why is IA lending cars to the ministry of civil aviation?
Were you satisfied with the answers?
No. Most of the replies were half-baked, given simply so that the officer concerned wouldn’t have to pay the penalty of Rs 250 per day that the RTI Act imposes. But I understand why people don’t give me full information — it’s to save their jobs.
So, is the RTI Act any use?
The government is fooling everyone with this Act. I have never been given the information I sought. The Act should be amended so that just one application is enough to get all the information. It’s a can of worms now.
What can an RTI applicant do with the information he gets?
A public interest litigation can be filed on the basis of the information. The information can be given to the media, sent to the CBI or given to the opposition who can take it up in Parliament. But the opposition here is not strong enough.
Are you seen as something of a nuisance now?
I am called RTI Harpal Singh! Most people say of me, “Yeh naak mei dam karta hai (He is a troublemaker).” Some senior people even tried to dissuade me from filing applications, telling me to take it easy after retirement. My family has suffered, no one was ready to employ my son because of my reputation. Now, he’s in business.
Other crusaders in the frontline of the battle of RTI.