Gujarat: PM's "aunt" seeks redressal for govt-dispensary on her premises
A 90-year old widow claiming to be the aunt of Prime Minister Narendra Modi has knocked on the doors of an appellate authority after failing to get satisfactory answers from the Labor Ministry on her RTI application seeking details of lease renewal of a government dispensary running in her premises. Dahiben Narottamdas Modi rented her premises on April 11, 1983 for Rs. 600/month.
Lease wasn't increased since 1998, says woman's representative
In a hearing before Central Information Commission (CIC), the woman sent her representative Ishwar Lal Modi who said the premises was given out for running Beedi Workers Welfare Fund (BWWF) dispensary in Vadnagar in Gujarat's Mehsana district. The rent was increased from Rs. 600 to Rs. 1500 through revisions of lease between 1983 and 1998, she said, adding it hasn't been raised since then.
Dahiben filed RTI on December 21, 2017
Dahiben had filed an RTI application on December 21, 2017 in which she sought to know details of lease, renewals, norms for fixing rent, whether the department was ready to pay arrears for periods in which lease was not renewed after five years, among others.
CPIO officer says some information wasn't available in his office
In response, Central Public Information Officer (CPIO) TB Moitra said some information wasn't available in his office. Moitra also said lease can be revised at a new-rental which has to be fixed after assessment by PWD/CPWD authorities in Gujarat. The response was found unsatisfactory by Dahiben, following which she filed her first appeal before Welfare and Cess Commissioner SS Bhople on January 9, 2018.
Dahiben survives on meager rental income of Rs. 1500
In her first appeal, she claimed that she was the "real aunt of Modi" and "if justice wasn't given to her the matter will be reported to the Prime Minister". She filed a second appeal before CIC, the highest adjudicating authority for RTI-matters, after her first appeal went unheard. Dahiben claimed she was all alone and survived on meager rental income of Rs. 1,500.
'Woman didn't submit documents for renewal, rates couldn't be revised'
Bhople told the Commission that after the expiry of the last lease agreement the office has requested the landlord through letters dated July 24, 2002 and May 15, 2008 to submit fresh documents for rent revision. He said the documents weren't submitted and hence the rates couldn't be revised. Dahiben's representative said that unless her "information needs" are fulfilled, she won't be providing documents.
This mental cruelty is intolerable for me: Woman to CIC
"I am widow of 90-years old and such type of mental cruelty is intolerable for me as I have no son or (sic) no one is there to look after me," she said in an emotional second appeal filed by her before Central Information Commission.
Why penalty shouldn't be imposed against RTI officers: CIC Commissioner
While hearing the matter Information Commissioner Sridhar Acharyulu observed that while she claimed to be a relative of Prime Minister, she hadn't used it to influence the authorities. "It was only after not being provided proper response that, in utter helplessness, she mentioned PM's name." Acharyulu asked why penalty shouldn't be imposed on the officers handling her RTI petition and ordeal faced by her.
