NCPRI for early passage of whistleblowers protection bill

The National Campaign for Peoples' Right to Information (NCPRI), an NGO working for measures against corruption, has demanded the whistleblowers protection bill and the grievance redressal bill be passed by parliament in its winter session beginning Dec 5.

The NCPRI held a day-long protest at Jantar Mantar Monday in support of its demands in partnership with the Pension Parishad.

An NCPRI release said the government responded to its representations made to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on the Whistleblowers Protection Bill, 2011, and the Right of Citizens for Time Bound Delivery of Goods and Services and Redressal of Grievances Bill, 2011.

The release said the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions conveyed to the NCPRI that the government intends to get the whistleblowers protection bill and grievance redressal bill passed in the winter session of parliament.

Families and colleagues of whistleblowers who were killed for exposing corruption were present at the protest. The agitators also opposed the proposed amendments to the RTI Act.

Anjali Bhardwaj of the NCPRI told the gathering it was critical that parliament passes the two accountability legislations.

She said various rights-based legislations would be rendered ineffective unless the government ensures time-bound redressal of complaints on non-delivery of entitlements and protection of people exposing corruption in government schemes.

The release said Pawan Khera, political secretary to Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit, assured people the Congress will pass a comprehensive grievance redressal legislation in Delhi to ensure time-bound and effective resolution of peoples' complaints if the party was re-elected in the Dec 4 assembly polls.