After Governor PS Sreedharan Pillai earlier this month announced opening of the Goa Raj Bhavan gates to the Right to Information Act, I submitted an application under this Transparency law seeking copies of the letters written by then Governor Satya Pal Malik to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah from November 3rd 2019 to August 18th 2020.
A fortnight has elapsed and there has been no reply from our Raj Bhavan despite the law requiring that when the information is available it should be furnished forthwith though an upper limit of 30 days is provided if the information has to be procured or compiled.
We are all entitled to know what Governor Malik had written to the Central leaders on the illegalities and alleged corruption by the Government headed by Chief Minister Pramod Sawant after which he was overnight shunted out of Goa though he was only complying with his constitutional duties.
The fact that the Goa Raj Bhavan has not yet appointed a Public Information Officer as required under the RTI Act leaves suspicion whether it really intends lifting that decade long veil of secrecy that has prevailed within its precincts.
Governor Pillai will have to clarify whether he truly wants to embrace the much needed RTI Act or continue keeping the functioning of his fortress under wraps.
