1. They all are RTI activists who used Right to Information Act to expose corruption in our country.
2. They were all beaten to death for exposing corruption.
In the last few months we have seen many RTI activists beaten to death by corrupt people who got exposed by them. Media played a good role in Jessica Lal case. They organized candle light protest against it. Made the government and judiciary take note of it. But the deaths of RTI activists are continuing unabated and the media seems to be a silent spectator. Except for covering the news there are no followups on the deaths nor a sustained campaign to bring the culprits to book.
Is it because Jessica Lal case belonged to a high class society? It certainly seems so. Can someone take this up seriously so that government enacts some strong measures to put a stop to this or provide protection to RTI activists in some form at least.
Lets take the case of Niyamat Ansari. He was brutally murdered in Latehar(Jharkand) on 2nd March, 2011. The following text has been taken from his face book page Long Live Niyamat Ansari
He has been working tirelessly for the rights of NREGA workers in this area during the last few years. Together with other local activists, he fearlessly exposed many cases of fraud in NREGA.
On 20 February 2011, Niyamat and his friends exposed a case of brazen embezzlement of NREGA funds in Rankikala Gram Panchayat. In response to this report, an FIR was lodged against the main culprit, Kailash Sahu, former BDO of Manika. More than two lakhs of rupees were also recovered from him and his accomplice, the Panchayat Sevak of Rankikala.
While the BDO and Panchayat Sevak were caught because their names are on the fudged records, it is strongly suspected that the real mastermind behind this scam is Shankar Dubey, a notoriously corrupt local contractor (himself protected by a former MLA of this area). Niyamat strongly believed that the goondas who had come to his house were Shankar Dubey's men.
On 2 March 2011, around 7 pm, Niyamat was picked up from his house and beaten mercilessly. He died of his injuries before it was possible for his relatives to reach him to the nearest hospital, in Latehar.
Time for government and media to act.
1 comment:
There is no rhyme or reason to the ways of the media. It only follows orders, of the powers that be.
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