Bhubaneswar: Even as Kendrapara police is still groping in dark after 10 days of the brutal murder of Ranjan Kumar Das, 35, an RTI activist, at Berua under Marsaghai police limits February 1, a group of former bureaucrats and social activists Monday sought Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik’s intervention in the case.
Das had reportedly exposed various irregularities in construction of building by Odisha Tourism Development Corporation (OTDC) in Bhitarkanika National Park, misappropriation of funds by NGOs and road construction under Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY).
As many as 18 former bureaucrats and prominent social activists Monday wrote a letter to Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik demanding immediate enactment of Whistle Blowers Protection Act in the state. The signatories in the letter include Arun Roy, Harsh Mander, IAS (Retd.), Human Rights Activist, Sundar Burra, IAS (Retd), former Secretary, Govt. Of Maharashtra, Madhu Bhaduri, IFS (Retd), Former Ambassador to Portugal, KP Fabian, IFS (Retd), former Ambassador to Italy and Aurobindo Behera, IAS (Retd), former secretary, Govt. of Odisha, Vibha Puri Das, IAS (Retd.), former secretary, Ministry of Tribal Affairs, GoI and Keshav Desiraju, former health secretary, GoI.
The activists expressed their displeasure over repeated attacks on RTI activists in the state. “We are dismayed frequent incidents of RTI activists facing violent threats and even losing their lives to criminal elements in your state,” wrote the activists.
“As responsible citizens and as ex-members of government, we strongly condemn this brutal murder,” the letter further read.
They urged the state government to arrest the murderers immediately in order to stop the ‘abuse of law and order’ in the state.
They also demanded that the state government should award compensation to the deceased RTI activists’ next of the kin by considering them as whistle blowers and human rights defenders.
On the other hand, members of Odisha Soochana Adhikar Abhijan, an RTI activists’ body, Monday, submitted a memorandum to Director General of Police (DGP) Abhay at his office demanding constitution of a high-level team to enquire into the brutal killing of Das.