GOA RAJ BHAVAN ACCUSED OF LYING ABOUT RTI

PANJIM: Adv. Aires Rodrigues has today accused Goa’s Raj Bhavan of lying on the Right to Information Act issue.  Adv. Rodrigues has alleged that the reply given to him that the Raj Bhavan was not furnishing information under the RTI Act inview of the affidavit filed in the High Court was factually incorrect and grossly misleading.

Adv. Rodrigues has stated that he had documentary proof to the effect that the Raj Bhavan has been selectively furnishing information under the RTI act.

Adv. Rodrigues has also stated that after that affidavit was filed by Raj Bhavan on 4th August 2008, information was still being furnished selectively by the Raj Bhavan’s Public Information Officer Dr. N. Radhakrishnan who was the designated Public Information officer for the Raj Bhavan under the Right to Information Act.

The RTI Act has to be complied in letter and spirit and not at the whims and fancies of Raj Bhavan, stated Adv. Rodrigues

Adv. Rodrigues has demanded that the Raj Bhavan should come out clean on the RTI imbroglio as the people of Goa would not be fooled by any cover up on the issue by the constitutional head of the State.

Adv. Rodrigues has stated that in the affidavit filed before the High Court on 4th August 2008 the Raj Bhavan had claimed that the Governor was not a “public authority” based on the legal advice given to the Governor by Advocate General Mr. Subodh Kantak.

How can Mr. Subodh Kantak after giving such unsound legal advice to even the Governor continue as the Advocate General of the state, questioned Adv. Rodrigues.

Adv. Rodrigues has further stated that former Governor Mr. S.C.Jamir may have then appointed a Special Legal Advisor at Raj Bhavan as he did not repose faith in the legal acumen of Mr. Subodh Kantak