IE : Taking RTI to the masses : Oct 29,2007

 

Taking RTI to the masses
 Films Division’s Satish Shinde demystifies the RTI Act in his 20-minute debut documentary as a director
 SHRADDHA SINGH
E VER wondered why your electricity bill shows astronomical amounts; or why the government officer makes you run from one counter to another to issue a ration card?
Well, under the Right to Information (RTI) Act 2005, you have the right to know the reasons of these lapses.

And now, Satish Shinde, cameraperson with Films Division of the Government of India, has demystified this act for you in his 20minute-long documentary ‘Right to Information (Act-2005)’, the first-ever feature to have been made on RTI. This documentary, released on October 12, marked the completion of two years of RTI in India.

Shinde’s first directorial venture, the film takes a broad look at how the act has empowered people and given them an opportunity to influence the governance. Explaining the importance of RTI, the film shows a common man harassed and insulted by a government officer, issuing his ration card. As soon as the man makes an RTI application, the same officer becomes polite and treats him with the respect that a sovereign citizen of India deserves.

Shinde says, “I have been collecting information and footages on the RTI act, Anna Hazare and Sailesh Gandhi since over 20 years. And, being a cameraman I knew the impact, visuals have on the viewers’ minds. So I thought of making a film and put to use all my contacts, footages and sources, as well as my camera skills. Moreover, this would also simplify RTI for the commoners.”
The film has interviews and views of Anna Hazare, who has been supporting the RTI and for long been popularising it in the rural areas, former President Abdul Kalam, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Central Information Commissioner Wajahat Habibullah and Chief Information Commissioner of Maharashtra Dr Suresh Joshi. And, of course, an interview with activist Shailesh Gandhi.
An interesting part of the documentary is a shot of Gandhi when he was 20 years old and his vision of what India should be. It also shows the importance of media coverage to matters related to RTI act.

Shinde says, “The documentary strikes a balance between the government and the RTI activists’ stand on the act. The speeches and commentaries by eminent RTI activists support it.”

According to Shinde, Hazare, who has been a driving force in the making of this documentary, commended it saying: “This film will go a long way in popularising RTI across the nation, particularly in rural areas. Since Films Division reaches across the country through Doordarshan (DD), it will surely spread awareness.”

Through this docudrama, Hazare has also urged the Centre to issue special stamps in post-offices, to be affixed on RTI applications.

Currently, it is mandatory that an RTI application be made on a 10-rupee stamp paper. “In the rural areas of Maharashtra, people find it difficult to get court fee stamps and, therefore, are unable to file queries,” Hazare says in the film. He emphasizes on the awareness for RTI among school children too.

“The CDs of the film will be available for public interest and it will very soon be released in theatres across the country in 12 languages,” says Shinde, adding, “My audience is the common man who wants to ensure transparency, openness and access to all the issues of public interest. Even if 10 out 100 people become aware through this documentary, I will be satisfied with my effort to popularise the information law.”

Publication : IE; Section : MN; Pg : 2; Date : 29/10/07
URL : http://70.86.150.130/indianexpress/ArticleText.aspx?article=29_10_2007_523_001