IMPHAL, October 1: The Manipur University, Canchipur, one of the premier institutes of the region, is marred with allegations of RTI applicants being denied access to information sought.
IFP has managed to gain access to some information in this regard.
As per information available with IFP, Rajendra Takade, of Somwari Quarter Raghujinagar, Nagpur, under the RTI Act, 2005 had sought information from the university about the professional records of professor in the university`™s Hindi department identified as prof. Devraj.
The RTI application was applied on April 19, 2014, containing eight queries and in response to the application the university`™s deputy registrar Dr RK Joteen Singh mentioned on June 5 that a notice through post has been forwarded to Devraj asking for his consent on the provision of his information.
However, claiming to have not received any response from the professor, the deputy registrar declined to furnish any information to the satisfaction of the applicant.
Professor Devraj had joined the institute in 1985 and resigned on 2009 and is currently teaching at the Mahatma Gandhi University, Maharastra Hindi department.
When IFP contacted professor Devraj, he revealed that as he is no longer associated with the Manipur University therefore there was no harm in providing information on his professional records to any persons.
He said he is willing to give any information on his professional records anytime.
Surprisingly substantiating this report, Professor Devraj also disclosed that two years back he had applied an RTI application with the university regarding to the Hindi department but failed to see any light till date.
Another RTI activist, Joykumar Wahengbam, who is also a member of the Human Right Initiative, reportedly applied for information relating the size of budget of building construction works of Manipur Institute of Technology, which is under the supervision of MU.
On failing to get any positive response he reportedly sent a second appeal but still awaits a response in vain.