Those who voted ‘YES’ had to say:
• RTI was brought about solely for the public to act as the watchdog. But the watch ‘DOG’ apparently has eaten from too many hands thus crippling it from attacking the hands that feed. RTI can be of help only if the accused is not your own father, or brother, uncle or bro-in-law, cousin or relative, etc. What can propel the movement though is just one success story. The pack is sure to follow.
• Yes, RTI is never a threat to honest government of non-government officials but the corrupt who carry the attitude of dictatorship by squeezing the common people’s share …
• Yes, why not if people are keen to learn and use it purposefully. The government should not take otherwise and feel threatened provided they tend to keep above the law. RTI Act is not only to check government but also NGOs who are centrally funded and still corrupt. High time citizens must wake up to be more conscious and voice for their rights. Change cannot be brought overnight but lest not shy away our responsibility for our own good as an active citizen.
• Yes, RTI Act should be able to check corruption to some extent.
• Yes, if people get awarded, corruption will surely shy away. Big challenge to citizens of Nagaland.
Those who voted ‘NO’ had to say:
• No, I don’t think the RTI Act would help in checking corruption in Nagaland because corruption is rooted in Naga society.
• No, not in the least bit. Nagas are a resilient and a determined greedy breed, we’ll find ways and loopholes around it.
Those who voted ‘MAYBE’ had to say:
• Maybe, most people are so needy on the government officials for their daily bread and so they do not want to go against them. In fact villages defend the corruption of officers from their village because the more corrupted an officer; the more they also gain from the officer. So how can RTI work? Just see, if I file against an officer, his whole village will come out crying that their village has been victimized. It keeps happening all the time.
