KOCHI: A meeting held by a cross section of social activists in Kochi on Friday expressed concern over the increasing incidents of attacks against Right to Information (RTI) activists in different parts of the state. Mahesh Vijayan of Kottayam and P.A. Rihad of Kochi shared their experiences in the meeting. Vijayan came under attack from quarry-crusher operators after he had brought to focus the illegal activities of the quarry-crusher owners in Kottayam.
Rihad, an RTI activist in Kochi, was responsible for exposing the racket involved in taking the shop rooms of Greater Cochin Development Authority (GCDA) on lease and then renting them out for higher rates. According to him, he was attacked three months ago after he submitted a complaint to the Vigilance department in connection with the leasing racket. He was attacked again on August 16. Another activist Premjith was attacked by nine members of the Kozhinjambara panchayat in Palakkad district the other day when he came to the panchayat office to collect documents gathered under the RTI Act.
According to a release by the organsiers of the meeting, attempts are on to book Abdul Rahim, a native of Parappnangadi in Malappuram district, under the goonda Act. Expressing concern over such incidents, the meeting urged the government to ensure protection for RTI activists and implement the Whistleblowers Act. Around 100 people from different parts of the state attended the meeting addressed by D.B. Binu, Harish Vasudevan and many others.
