Maharashtra home minister R R Patil refused to provide police protection to RTI activists but he was quick with a special security cover for former Shiv Sena leader Kiran Pawaskar, soon after he joined NCP. With this, Pawaskar joins a club of 25-odd politicians, who don’t hold any official post, but have been granted special security by the home department run by an NCP minister. Like Pawaskar, all those who quit Shiv Sena to join Congress or NCP have been provided special security cover.
Speaking to TOI, Pune-based RTI activist Asim Sarode said, ”There have been murderous attacks on RTI activists in Maharashtra. They have been asking for police protection, but the home department hasn’t responded.”
Instead of whistleblowers seeking security cover, the home department should identify RTI activists facing threat. ”Home department has adequate manpower and intelligence network. It should find out the whistleblowers in trouble and provide them security,” Sarode said. But that’s not happening. The home department is more concerned with the security of political leaders it seems.