Journalism of Courage
Since the June 2013 order declaring political parties a public authority under the RTI Act, there were hardly any orders by the Central Information Commission (CIC) that caused major embarrassment to the government. So, when Information Commissioner Madabhushanam Sridhar Acharyulu directed Delhi University to disclose degree records of 1978, when Prime Minister Narendra Modi is said to have graduated, and issued two orders for inspection of records related to the education details of Textiles Minister Smriti Irani, he caught the attention of those interested in the transparency law.
Acharyulu, the only non-bureaucrat among the 10 Information Commissioners and Chief Information Commissioner, is very clear on his understanding of RTI and its purpose.
He says, “It is a very informal law. Very simple. People-friendly. I am not here to impose penalty but to provide information if it is blocked by public authorities.”
On his orders on Modi and Irani he simply says, “I am not doubting the claims made by anybody (in their affidavits). But they should not resist the disclosure.”
Asked whether he was embarrassing NDA leaders after being appointed during the UPA regime, Acharyulu says, “Several of my orders caused embarrassment to the Arvind Kejriwal-led Delhi government. I issued showcause notice to Congress president Sonia Gandhi in a matter related to political parties.”
He adds, “I must say that I am a voter of the BJP, I am a Vaishnav and I am for cow protection.”
Acharyulu, 60, is a former professor of National Law University, Hyderabad. He hails from Warangal (now in Telangana).
He started his career as a journalist. Most of his journalistic career was with Telugu daily Udayam, owned by Dasari Narayan Rao, Minister of Coal in the UPA government headed by Manmohan Singh. He was appointed Information Commissioner on November 22, 2013.
He has a long association with RTI. While at least 12 state governments had their own transparency law before the central Act of 2005, Acharyulu was engaged by the Andhra Pradesh government to draft its transparency legislation. He was also actively involved in drafting legislations on Right to Redressal of Grievances, Rent Control, Abolition of Child Labour and Compulsory Education for the state.
The IC has authored 30 books on law and journalism in English and Telugu.
