ENARADA, Bangalore, July 10, 2014
The first course batch of Master of Public Policy (MPP) was inaugurated on 10 July, 2014 at the National Law School of India University, with an address delivered by Ms. Aruna Roy, the key person spear heading the RTI movement.
She traced the contribution of activists from many corners of India – especially Biawar in Rajasthan – in bringing out the Right to Information Act, which is a unique and rare law that owes its origin to people’s movement. The draft bill became legislation due to the support it received from eminent jurists like Justice Sawant and Journalists like Nikhil Chakravarthy and Kuldip Nayar.
Today the RTI Act has become a powerful instrument in the struggle of the people not only against corruption (hamara paise-hamara hisab, as a popular slogan put it), but also for social justice and developing good public policy. Ms. Aruna Roy affirmed the proposition that Equality and Justice will have to be the corner stone of policy studies.
In her passionate and moving account of the struggle, she stressed how RTI is not just about corruption as it if often made out, but has deeper connections with a number of issues related to Human Rights, Social Justice and Public Policy. When thus viewed together, RTI movement can gain enormous power as a driving force for strengthening democracy. It is one among other Rights based legislations which can have far reaching consequences in affecting the lives of people.
Outlining how the RTI is not without limitations, she drew attention to subsequent laws that have been passed to complement it such as ‘The Whistle Blower Protection Act’ enacted to protect the lives of RTI activists. The Act is awaiting notification.
On a closing note, she reiterated the need to speak truth to power as a means to bring power to people, which is what democracy is all about.
The newly launched MPP is a unique course where comprehensive training is provided in designing public policies for complex societal problems and in the methods of translating policies into deliverable programmes. The course intends to combine reflective and interactive learning with field exposures and problem solving tasks. About 43 graduate students from various disciplines from 20 different States have signed up for the course.
Prof. Japhet welcomed the gathering, the Vice-Chancellor Prof. (Dr.) R. Venkata Rao addressed the gathering and Justice (Dr.) Rajendra Babu former Chief Justice of India, presided. Mr. Thangaraj, Information Commissioner, Government of Karnataka, was the chief guest. Dr. Elizabeth, Professor of History conducted the proceedings and thanked all the dignitaries.
