Cash for vote: RTI activists demand independent probe

Cash for vote: RTI activists demand independent probe New Delhi, Jul 24 (PTI) The 'Cash for Vote' scam in Parliament has triggered demands for an independent inquiry by several RTI activists and civil society groups who are also planning a mass protest. "Whatever happened in the parliament is shameful. We as a citizen can not remain mute spectator anymore. We have to protest and we demand a systamic change in the system," says Magsasay award winner and a leading RTI activist Arvind Kejriwal. The activists have appealed the public to gather at India Gate on July 27 and file RTI applications addressed to the Speaker to register their protest in this regard. "Our main demand is that there should be an independent inquiry into the whole case and the MPs involved should be sent to jail. The second demand is that an effective Lokpal Bill should be passed to prevent corruption among politicians," says Kejriwal. Organisations like Parivartan, Youth for Equality, Judicial Accuracy, Kabir and Yamuna Satyagrah will be also involved in this campaign. "After what happened in Parliament, ordinary people should do something. Earlier we didn't have any tool but with RTI we can raise our questions and the authorities are bound to reply. They cannot take public for granted anymore," said another RTI activist Manish Sisodia. In their RTI applications, addressed to the Speaker, the organisations have demanded a copy of the tapes of the sting operation carried out by a private news channel exposing the bribe scandal. PTI