Onlykashmir.in News Desk
A two-day capacity-building workshop on the Right to Information Act, 2005 was organized by the J&K RTI Movement in collaboration with Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative (CHRI), Uri Foundation, and Kashmir Law Circle. The event featured key figures from law, civil society, and administration, including MLAs Mohammad Yusuf Tarigami and Irfan Hafeez Lone, Wajahat Habibullah (India’s first CIC), Safeena Beigh (DDC Baramulla Chairperson), CHRI Director Venkatesh Nayak, and Dr. Shaikh Ghulam Rasool, Chairperson of J&K RTI Movement.
Tarigami emphasized RTI as integral to the right to dignified life and democratic accountability, criticizing post-370 governance. Lone, the first RTI activist from J&K, hailed the movement as a training ground for future leaders, praising Dr. Rasool’s dedication. Habibullah described the RTI Act as citizen-friendly and vital for grassroots empowerment.
Safeena Beigh urged students to understand their duties before exercising rights. Nayak stressed the need for citizen engagement, while Dr. Rasool reiterated the importance of laws like RTI, PSGA, and FRA for social justice.
Advocates Naveed Bukhtiyar and Mujtaba called on youth and legal professionals to join the movement, with Sajad Farooq, Ghulam Raza, Junaid Andrabi, and Dr. Javaid also contributing.
A major highlight was the launch of an Urdu RTI Guide Book by Habibullah, Beigh, Nayak, and Rasool to enhance accessibility. The event concluded with RTI application training and certificate distribution.
