The media doesn't think there's a story

Sometimes I wonder if Mandira Bedi were to read out this story in TV, would it get more attention? Or should we try something else? This story was released by PTI Kolkata yesterday, but not picked up by PTI in Delhi....as a result no major English (except The Hindu) or Hindi (Except Navbharat Times) picked up....but surprised that even Bengali newspapers didn't think there's a story here....


Full CIC bench to hear MHA-Netaji secret papers case

Issue demands that a decision be taken at PM's level: Information CommissionerPress Release 2 April 2007The full bench of the Central Information Commission (CIC) will decide the matter of disclosing documents consulted by inquiry panels investigating the mysterious disappearance of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, announced Information Commissioner AN Tiwari while hearing Mission Netaji's appeal.Giving "a final chance" to the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) to come clear, Commissioner Tiwari has asked the Ministry to provide adequate explanation from the Ministerial level on why the documents sought by Mission Netaji cannot be made public. He said that if adequate explanations are not provided, the Commission will be compelled to direct disclosure of all documents in question. All documents on the basis of which the two inquiry panels led by Shah Nawaz Khan (1956) and G D Khosla (1970-74) made their decisions have been kept secret by the Government.For the background, after Home Minister Shivraj Patil announced in Parliament last year that the inquires conducted by (Congress MP) Shah Nawaz Khan and (Indira Gandhi's biographer) GD Khosla were more credible than that of Justice MK Mukherjee, a former Supreme Court judge, Mission Netaji's Sayantan Dasgupta filed a petition with the MHA seeking copies of all documents exhibited by Shah Nawaz and Khosla panels. Our case has been that these inquiries were patently fraud, and they made selective use of evidence to arrive at the conclusion to suit the Government's view that Netaji had died in Taipei. In response, the MHA refused to provide documents taking recourse to section 8 1(a) of the RTI Act, which provides exemption to releasing information which can "prejudicially affect sovereignty and integrity of India,…relation with foreign State" or "lead to incitement of offence," amongst others. (See below)After this point-blank refusal, Dasgupta lodged a complaint with the CIC. In the first hearing before the CIC in October last year, the Ministry officials said they were not even aware of the exhibits as unlike the Mukherjee Commission report the earlier reports had not appended any list of exhibits, which was suspicious. Information Commissioner AN Tiwari then directed Dasgupta to revise original application to demand specific documents. In compliance, Mission Netaji filed a revised petition, enclosing a copy of a classified list of 202 documents used as exhibits by the Khosla Commission in the argument session. (Click to see the list.) At the latest hearing last week, the MHA officials were to turn up with these papers but came with a secret note from Union Home Secretary VK Duggal (since retired). Commissioner Tiwari was irked by this unusual letter reiterating the same arguments of section 8 1 (a). He pointed out that "the issue is far too important to be decided in an ad hoc manner at the level of a Home Secretary". "I am not prepared to allow an omnibus recourse to section 8 1 (a)," Tiwari told Ministry officials during the hearing, attended by Mission Netaji's Sayantan Dasgupta and Chandrachur Ghose. Expressing concern at the way the matter has been dealt with, Tiwari said that this chapter of secrecy over Netaji-related documents will have to end. Assuring the appellant, Tiwari said that Indians have every right to have full information on their hero. Dasgupta said, "In view of the recent conclusion of Justice Mukherjee Commission of Inquiry that Netaji did not die in any plane crash and the subsequent casual dismissal of that finding by the Government, it is important that Indians get to scrutinize all original documents and reach their own conclusion. Only then will it become clear whether there has been any sinister design to hide facts from the people of India."The development comes on the heels of Information Commissioner Dr OP Kejariwal directing the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) to provide Mission Netaji'a Anuj Dhar the copies of their correspondence with the Soviets/Russians over Netaji's disappearance. Mission Netaji has been engaged in a RTI crusade to access information related to Netaji's disappearance. Thus far complaints have been filed with the CIC with regard to applications (mis)handled by PMO, MHA, MEA and R&AW.Related link: CIC rejects Govt stance on Russia-Netaji papers