Lucknow: A query posted by a 10-year-old girl
under the Right to Information Act (RTI) regarding father of
nation status to Mahatma Gandhi has raised a piquant situation
before the government.
In February this year, Aishwarya Parashar, a class sixth
student, sent an RTI application to the central public
information officer of Prime Minister`s Office seeking a
photocopy of the order through which Mahatma Gandhi was
declared as father of the nation.
From the PMO, the application was forwarded to the
Ministry of Home Affairs.
The MHA, however, stating that it does not comes under
its purview forwarded the application to the National Archives
of India.
The NAI in its reply sent to Aishwarya has said that no
specific documents on the information sought were available.
"As per the search among the public records in the NAI
there is no specific documents on the information being sought
by you," assistant director of archives Jayaprabha Ravindran
said in a letter sent to the girl.
The AD said that NAI has a large number of public records
related to Mahatma Gandhi.
"As per the guidelines laid down by the DOPT the duty of
the CPIO is only to make available the records for
consultation and not undertake any research on behalf of the
application," Ravichandran said.
"You are therefore most welcome to visit the department
to undertake a detailed search among the public records and
library material for the desired information," he added.
PTI
