PUNE, 21 August 2006 - Though Right to Information Act (RTI) activists throughout the country had cause for being jubilant over the federal government's decision to drop the amendments to the Act for now, the jubilation was short lived, when activists learnt that the social activist Anna Hazare, who had ended his 11 days of fast-unto-death, had negotiated with the federal and state government emissaries.
A visibly upset senior editor of an leading English daily, who had been on the forefront of the RTI issue right from its inception, devoting a full page every week to the RTI cause, revealed to "Arab News" that the noted social activist Anna Hazare who single handedly made the government bow and prevented the federal government from introducing the amendment in the current session, had not been transparent and had entered into a deal with the government emissaries, keeping the activists in dark.
According to Prakash Kardaley, senior editor of Indian Express (Initiatives) the social activist Hazare stepped down from the dais where he was fasting in Alandi, a Hindu pilgrimage town, 40 kilometers from Pune, and held discussions in a car with tinted glasses rolled up with government emissaries Prithviraj Chavan, Minister of State in Prime Ministers Office, District Collector Prakash Deshmukh, and District Superintendent of Police, Vishwas Nangre Patil. What transpired between the four in the closed car for fifteen minutes, was not known. Emerging out of the car, Chavan faced the television cameras and print media journalists, and informed that Hazare had withdrawn the fast, following assurances from the Prime Minister.
These behind the scene negotiations took many by surprise, even Arvind Kejriwal, the Ramon Magsaysay award winner, who was in town and met Hazare a few hours before he broke the fast. Kejriwal, who was in between the session of addressing a press conference in the city, when informed about the breaking of the fast by Hazare, the statement of the Minister and the behind the scene negotiations, was in a shock. A depressed Kejriwal said that he had nothing to comment and would speak later.
Even though Hazare claimed that it was a victory for the people, Minister Prithviraj Chavan addressing the media said that the PMO, nevertheless did not extend any written assurance, a pre-condition set by Hazare, against the bill as sought by him. Chavan indicated that all was not over yet with the amendment move and added that any further step by the government, would reflect the views that will emerge from the PM's discussion with RTI activists.
However, the RTI activists, who accept that Hazare alone had played a vital role in forcing the government to hold back the bill, were agitated over Hazare's holding talks in closed door session with the government officials, instead in an public view. "Is this transparency, which Hazare talked about?" asked Ramesh Pawar, a activist from Junnar town in Pune. Another activist Bagwant More said that Hazare should have asked the government officials to hold discussions in the presence of the media and the people. This is not fair on part of Hazare and he should now reveal to the people of this mysterious action on his part, More said.
