A Right To Information activist in Meghalaya has sought protection from the very public information officer whom he had approached seeking updates on development activities.
On Tuesday, RTI activist Nilbath Ch. Marak filed an FIR at the local police station in East Garo Hills district headquarters Williamnagar, alleging that the town municipal board’s PIO Waldarine Momin threatened him against filing an RTI.
In the FIR, Mr. Marak said that Ms. Momin wanted to know if he did not fear death after he went to file the RTI on projects undertaken by the board. He alleged that the PIO also asked him whether he did not keep track of activists having been beaten up, in reference to the assault on Agnes Kharshiing and Amita Sangma who had tried to expose the underbelly of Meghalaya’s illegal coal mining.
‘Not targeting anyone’
Mr. Marak told news persons that he had no intention of targeting any individual while exercising his right to get information on the activities of the municipal board, including revenue and expenditure receipts. Through the FIR, he sought protection under Whistleblowers Protection Act besides investigation against the officer for allegedly threatening him.