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News Room :: PrajaNet Newsletters :: 2003 :: Anna Hazare's letter to deputy PM, L K Advani |
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Letter sent by anti-corruption crusader Anna Hazare on August 1, 2002, to
Deputy Prime Minister L K Advani calling upon him to make a strong
recommendation to the President of India to give his assent to the Maharashtra
Right to Information Bill, 2002, (as adopted by the state legislature in 2003)
and return it to the state for enforcement before August 9. Dear Shri Advaniji, I am sure you are aware of my resolve to go on fast-unto-death from the Martyrs' Day on August 9th, 2003, at august Kranti Maidan in Mumbai to press for vital reforms in the interest of the people of the country and in the true spirit of the Constitution of India. One of the reforms I have been pressing for is the enforcement of the Right to Information Act in Maharashtra. As I understand, the Bill, as adopted by the Maharashtra legislature, is pending with His Excellency the President of India for assent. You will recall that I have called on you in New Delhi on two occasions in recent months and requested you to advise the President to grant his assent to the Maharashtra Bill and that you had on both the occasions assured me of an appropriate and expeditious action. I regret to note, however, that no concrete step has yet been initiated by you in the matter. I am, therefore, painfully constrained to bring to your notice that the onus of my fast unto death, with respect to my demand for enforcement of the Right to Information Act in Maharashtra, will solely be on you. I urge you kindly to make a strong recommendation to the President of India to grant his assent to the Maharashtra Right to Information Bill as adopted by the Maharashtra legislature and return it to the state before August 9th. I am absolutely confident that the Hon President who is known for his staunch social commitment, will not waste a minute in granting his assent, on receipt of your advice to that effect. As and when the Freedom of Information Act of the Government of India is notified with rules, the Government of India at that stage may issue suitable direction to the Maharashtra government on the status of the state-level act. However, I emphatically point out that in absence of such a notification, the Government of India will be guilty of denying the people of Maharashtra a legislation of their own, facilitating them to exercise their fundamental right to information. Thanking you. Yours Sincerely K B Alias Anna Hazare President, Bhrashtachar Virodhi Jan Andolan (Maharashtra) Ralegan Siddhi, Taluka Parner, District Ahmednagar (Maharashtra) Tel 02488-40227 Unquote For more information about Anna Hazare's Bhrashtachar Virodhi Andolan, visit http://www.annahazare.net |