Right to Information Bill has few takers in Goan media

Several panelists voiced their apprehensions about the usefulness of the the bill, which Chief Minister Pratapsing Rane has promised to introduce in the current Assembly session. The fears arise from the fact that the Goa Bill is patterned on the lines of the Tamil Nadu one, which doesn’t find much favour with the state press.

“It is full of exemptions and many vague provisions,” said Prakash Kamat, president GUJ.

Chief Judicial Magistrate Desmond D’Costa and advocate Norma Alvares stressed that the law sought to restrict press freedom, instead of ensuring it.

Bharatiya Janata Party MLA Manohar Parrikar described the Tamil Nadu law as negative and Goa Today editor Ashwin Tombat said that “if that is the type of the bill we are going to have, it is better to do without it.” GUJ President Prakash Kamt said that the draft bill provided by Justice Sawant of the Press Council of India was the best and should be accepted.

At a press conference on Monday, Chief Minister Rane had assured that his bill would be a “good mix” of both the Tamil Nadu law as well as the one recommended by Justice Sawant.

However, the Chief Minister has also said often that his government is committed to transparency.

But ironically, it was his ministry that first issued a confidential circular to administration officials, prohibiting them from talking to the press.