Other speakers included Julio Ribeiro, and now retired state chief information commissioner Dr Suresh Joshi.
The celebration took place at the Indian Merchant Chambers (IMC) and was organised jointly by the IMC, Public Concern for Governance Trust (PCGT) and the Bombay Chartered Accountants Society (BCAS).
Quoting a verse from a Tagore poem, Hosbet said, “Where is the knowledge now? At present, people are just getting marginal information that does not lead to development and transparency or to them being knowledgeable citizens. Right to information should lead to knowledge and empowerment of people. Sixty per cent of the usage still focuses on personal details.”
Quoting prominent personalities, Hosbet added, “Sources of information can’t be frozen and the bureaucracy cannot hamper transparency. The judiciary was the last resort until recently, and they too were reported to be second-most corrupt after police. Voices of dissent should not be terrorised or corrupted into silence, or else humanity will suffer and justice will die. People should be able to question the selection of judges as well so that it becomes a participatory democracy.”
The speakers also posed questions on the selection of commissioners. Former Mumbai police commissioner Julio Ribeiro said “The people appointed might be good, but the question is whether they have the right spirit to implement the Act and if they are emotionally and intellectually charged to deliver. If proper selections are not done, we will go to court.”
Outgoing commissioner Joshi emphasised the need for taking the issue of secretaries to be formally made in charge of section 4 (voluntary disclosure of information).