Question : THREAT TO ACTIVISTS

(a) whether the Government has taken note of the incidents of threat, attack and murder of journalists, Human Rights and Right to Information activists, in various parts of the country;

(b) if so, the number of cases registered during each of the last two years and the current year, State/UT-wise;

(c) whether the Government has received any request from various quarters for enactment of a stringent law to protect such activists in view of the spate of attacks; and

(d) if so, the details thereof including reorganizing of intelligence network to avoid such attacks in future?

MINISTER OF THE STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS (SHRI JITENDRA SINGH)

(a) to (d): The data regarding threat, attack and murder of journalists, Human rights and Right to Information activists in different States of the country is not maintained by the Union Government. ‘Police’ and ‘Public Order’ being State subjects under the Seventh Schedule to the Constitution of India, the State Governments are primarily responsible for prevention, detection, registration and investigation of crime and also for prosecuting the accused persons or criminals involved, under the extant and applicable laws, through the machinery of their law enforcement agencies. The State Governments are therefore primarily responsible also for ensuring protection of the life land property of all citizens including journalists, Human Rights and Right to Information activists within their respective jurisdiction. The Union Government therefore does not have any direct role in the matter. However, through an advisory letter dated 01.03.2011, all the State Governments & UT Administrations have been requested by the Union Ministry of Hme Affairs to take measures, as deemed appropriate, to ensure the safety of the RTI activists.

The Union Government through a letter dated 25.08.2010 has also drawn the attention of the State Governments & UT Administrations to the reports appearing in the media about the victimization of people, who use RTI to expose corruption and irregularities in administration. The States have been requested that if any such instance comes to the notice, it should be promptly inquired into and action be taken against the offenders.