Cabinet decisions: Pinarayi Vijayan-Kanam Rajendran face off over RTI

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Thursday attacked CPI though indirectly, saying his statement on RTI was being twisted to establish that state government was averse to disclosing Cabinet decisions. At the conference of Kerala Legislature Secretariat Staff Association here, the chief minister said there was no need to conceal any information. “Is there any state government which is uploading Cabinet decisions on its official website? We are doing it here,” he said.

“I had stated that all matters cannot be disclosed under the Right to Information Act. I even cited an example. If a question under RTI is asked on the number of army men deployed on Rajasthan border, obviously the Centre will not be able to disclose details even if Information Commission directed. How can this be dubbed as anti-RTI stand ? he asked.   Why is this smokescreen being created and for whom is it being done? What is the objective?

“Till now we have not commented on these issues. But that should not be construed as our inability to speak. We don’t what to rake up unnecessary controversy. Meanwhile, CPI state secretary Kanam Rajendran reiterated that people should not be deprived of information on Cabinet decisions. “It is the duty of the government to provide details of Cabinet decisions under the RTI Act. Attempts are being made to clip the wings of RTI Act. What are the decisions taken by the Cabinet which the people are not supposed to know? There is an attempt to twist the facts to protect the interests of the administration,” he said.