Concern over Denial of Information, Misbehavior with RTI Activist

Freedom Forum has been concerned over the misbehavior meted out against a local right to information (RTI) activist by a school principal while seeking information in Dhanusha, a district in the southern plain of Nepal, on 21 January 2014. Principal at the local Bateshwor Lower Secondary School of Bateshwor VDC-6 in Dhanisha district, Ganga Prasad Mahato, not only misbehaved with Shailendra Mahato, RTI activist and a journalist but also denied information journalist Shailendra sought about the school. Talking to Freedom Forum, RTI activist Shailendra said that he had reached the school with an application seeking information about the schools' financial condition, physical properties, teachers' quota and process of teacher's appointment, reservation quota, number of students, distribution of scholarship and so others but Principal Ganga Prasad flatly rejected to register the application and spoke foul words on him. "Who are you to seek information about this school? I don't give any information. If you publish information, you will see how I take action on you. I don't know about RTI. Who has given you the authority to seek information?" Principal Ganga Prasad said to journalist Shailendra. With this, Principal Ganga Prasad has violated citizen's right to information. The RTI is the fundamental rights of Nepali citizens ensured by the Constitution. Any information of public importance can be sought with the public agencies by any citizen. Therefore, Freedom Forum strongly urges the Principal to abide by the RTI Act 2007 and provide the information the activist sought. Disclosing information not only makes any public agency transparent and accountable to people, but also empowers citizens and build informed society which are the needs to democracy. For More Information Freedom Forum Thapathali, Kathmandu Post Box No: 24292 Phone No. 4102030, 4102022 Website: www.nepalpressfreedom.org | www.freedomforum.org.np Email: info@freedomforum.org.np | monitoring@freedomforum.org.np