http://upcpri.blogspot.in/2015/05/rti-reveals-doublespeak-of-up-cm.html
also.
Lucknow.Urvashi Sharma. ©UPCPRI
At a time when the news of rapid growth of assets of a no. of
ministers of Akhilesh Yadav led Samajwadi Government are touching
headlines on front pages of newspapers, getting breaking news space on
electronic media and are the most shared and commented features on
social media, A reply on a RTI plea of Lucknow based noted Human
Rights' activist & Engineer Sanjay Sharma has grilled UP CMs & their
council of ministers over their tall claims on practicing transparency
in public life by themselves as none of the Ministers of present and
the predecessor Govts. including CMs have shared information with UP
Government about their assets and liabilities, as mandated under
rules.
Sanjay is founder and president of a grassroot level social
organization named TAHRIR which works in the fields of Transparency &
accountability in public life and protection of human rights. He has
sought information about assets and liabilities declared by the
Cabinet as well as the Chief Ministers of State to which UP Govt. has
replied that the data is not available. Sanjay sought the info
04-09-2014 from PIO of office of Chief Secretary of UP. Subsequently
this RTI got transferred to confidential deptt. of UP Govt.
In an obvious snub to earlier boastings of Akhilesh Yadav on
transparency claims made on disclosures of assets & liabilities of CM
and council of Ministers of UP, the Uttar Pradesh Government has
returned this RTI application back to Sanjay saying the information
was not with them.. This is noteworthy that by this RTI plea Sanjay
has sought details about earlier CM Mayawati, present CM Akhilesh
Yadav and their ministers' assets concerning financial years
2011-12,2012-13,2013-14 & 2014-15.
In reply to the query, UP government's special secretary & public
information officer of confidential department Krishna Gopal said that
neither the information sought was with confidential department nor
did he know as to who might be holding the information sought by
Sanjay and citing this he returned the RTI plea & 10/- RTI fee back
to Sanjay.
"Most states in India including Uttar Pradesh have been unable to make
ministers' assets public. Soon after taking charge as youngest CM of
UP, Akhilesh Yadav has asserted that transparency will be pursued in
issues of governance and CM,ministers' personal assets but he failed
grossly as this RTI has revealed and its a severe blow to the youngest
CM's claims on transparency and accountability at high places" Sanjay
said.
Sanjay told ©UPCPRI "We at 'TAHRIR' believe that transparency and
accountability are the two cornerstones of any pro-people government.
Transparency and accountability not only connect the people closer to
the government but also make them equal and integral part of the
decision making process.But, Alas………………………!"
The Uttar Pradesh Ministers and Legislators (Publication of Assets &
Liabilities) Act (1975) makes it mandatory for each and every member
of the state assembly to submit details or their assets and
liabilities within the first 20 days of the new financial year. The
code of conduct under the Public Representative Act 1951 of the
Constitution of India, CM and his council of ministers are expected to
set an example for other MLAs by declaring their and their family
members' assets and liabilities regularly every year.While these rules
existed and despite the law being in force for the last 40 years,
these were never taken seriously by our leaders, reveals this RTI
reply.
This is akin to Cocking a snook at the government orders as none of
CMs and their council of Ministers have disclosed their assets and
liabilities. Even Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav, who had declared his
assets after coming to power in 2012 has also failed to comply with
the government orders in subsequeny years though in 2012 he was the
first to put up his assets on the government website, claiming that it
was the first step towards transparency in governance but even this
move of Akhilesh Yadav failed to set the tone for his cabinet
colleagues to come out and declare their net worth and later Akhilesh
too boarded the non-transparency ship and avoided such declarations in
later years.
"We are of the opinion that this RTI reply also reveals that from Maya
to Akhilesh, only heads changed n not the mentality & mindset of
governance so far as the positive changes in transparency in
governance are concerned" said Sanjay.
Citing Aseem Trivedi's cartoon 'Gang Rape of Mother India', Sanjay
asserted that he found this cartoon very realistic. He added that he
was thinking if UP's CMs & their council of Ministers are also some
of the politicians getting Mother India gang raped by the
corruption-demon.
This social activist told ©UPCPRI that Soon a delegation of 'TAHRIR'
shall meet UP Governor Ram Naik & CM Akhilesh Yadav to press their
demands of making sure that from now onwards CM, Ministers, MLAs &
MLCs of UP should file their wealth returns with UP Govt. as mandated
under The Uttar Pradesh Ministers and Legislators (Publication of
Assets & Liabilities) Act (1975)"
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