D.B. Binu very seriously asserts his right to know. He seems to have spent the better part of his life in the dusty, hostile corridors of Kerala’s government offices—seeking information, questioning the powers that be. and asserting his right to know. The 44-year-old Right to Information (RTI) activist from Kochi has been engaged in a tireless war against corruption bureaucratic misconduct for about 20 years now, quite unsung and generally out of the ambit of TV cameras.
His father died when he was barely three years old and as familial responsibilities came to rest on his shoulders, Binu learnt that corruption was deep rooted in our system. “I have had to make countless visits to government offices and I have seen the lack of transparency, the inefficiency, and the shameless bribing that goes on,” he says.
A strong resolve to fight the malicious system may have taken birth right then, Binu says. In his small office at Kacheripady in Ernakulam, he sits in the middle of a maze of paperwork. The open shelves lining the wall have gathered dust. But Binu leafs through them earnestly, referring points and underlining facts. “You know, everything boils down to the fundamentals,” says the high court lawyer and general secretary of the RTI Federation of Kerala.
Pioneering activist
The first man from Kerala to file an RTI application, after the RTI Act came into force in 2005, Binu caused a flutter in the system. He used the Act to expose the misappropriation of the tsunami relief fund in 2006. The Kerala Government found irregularities in the utilisation of funds allocated to victims. An inquiry commission was set up, but the findings were not made public.
Binu filed an application. “Honestly, I was quite surprised by the response,” he says. The Legal Services Authority got back to him within 48 hours with the details.
Since then, Binu has been using RTI effectively to uncover corruption at various levels of governance. He has lost count of the number of applications he has filed till date. “Easily over a thousand,” he says.
Several among them turned out to be “breaking news”. For instance, he brought out in public the official report on the alleged illegal occupation of forest land by Harrisons Malayalam Ltd.
He also exposed the maladministration in the Cochin Corporation, the lack of transparency in the State Information Commission and, more recently, the black sheep within the Kerala Police (533 officers have criminal cases against them). Well, the list is too long. “Now, I get information for applications I have not filed,” he says, laughing.
During his days at the Ernakulam Law College, he spearheaded an anti-corruption organisation called ‘Citizen Protection Council’. “Believe it or not, we had to bribe the peon (Rs. 350) at the registration office to get it registered,” he exclaims. But it was as an editor of a legal journal called Niyamasameeksha in those days, that he happened to learn about RTI.
For all its empowering qualities, the RTI Act is still not utilised fully, he rues. There is a need to educate the masses on RTI. “Many people do not know how to file an application. Many even mistake it as just a means to redress their complaints,” he says.
Despite its sparkling literacy rate, Kerala is one of the most backward in terms of the number of applications filed. “It is ironic, but literacy has come in the way of being vigilant. We are a highly politicised state,” he says.
It is time Kerala learnt from states such as Rajasthan, which has only five per cent literacy rate among women, but has the highest number of RTI applications filed. Even Bihar has an RTI hotline, by which an applicant can make a call from any BSNL connection to make a complaint. A fee of Rs.10 will be charged for the call, he points out.
A hardened optimist, Binu believes change can be brought about. The RTI Federation is doing its bit to create awareness among the general public, he says. It is also planning to set up RTI help desks throughout the state. “Our goal is to introduce RTI in school syllabi. If we catch them young, we would have more conscientious citizens in future.” The federation also brings together activists from different parts of the State, helping them with the basic know-how of filing applications.
Work is on to start an RTI website through which applications can be filed. “Even those who do not wish to identify themselves fearing threats, can make use of this option,” he says.
Awareness
However, it is not enough for the public to be aware of this. Employees in various departments of the government are not sensitised to RTI.
Binu, who is also the RTI State guest faculty at the Institute of Management in Government, conducts RTI sessions for their benefit throughout the State. He also conducts seminars at the Police Training College and the Police Academy all over the State.
“One has to question things, the answers will keep coming. But take that effort,” he insists. Winner of the Kerala Jana Vedi award for the best RTI activist (2009), the journalism degree holder has authored a book, Vivaraavakaashaniyamam, (The Right to Information Act), too.
Travelling across the State, digging and drilling for the truth, organising seminars, helping applicants, following up their cases and, of course, fighting it out in the High Court … Binu just keeps going. What is the secret of this unrelenting enthusiasm, one wonders. Well, he has no time for rest or for secrets. The next case is just round the corner.
