Kohima, Oct. 17: Former information commissioner Shailesh Gandhi said the lack of proper information dissemination by the government was one of the reasons leading to bad governance.

Speaking during a programme on RTI and Role of Media here today, Gandhi said the people of the country are not happy with the system of governance, as the administration does not recognise many rights of citizens.

He insisted on establishing sovereignty of an individual by disseminating right information to the people.

He urged the civil societies to play a pro-active role to make democracy more meaningful. “Something is seriously wrong in our governance,” he added.

He said the condition of roads in Nagaland was very bad but not many people have questioned the government’s lack of action.

“The bad condition of the roads has hit the state’s economy hard,” Gandhi said. He said till roads are improved, the economy would be in a bad shape. “People have to question and initiate corrective measures.”

Gandhi asked people not to fear filing an RTI application. “Ordinary citizens can challenge even the head of the country through an RTI,” he said.

But he also cautioned that the RTI should be not misused for vengeance or with an ulterior motive. He said the RTI was introduced to improve governance in the country. He also lauded the Nagaland Information Commission for the awareness campaigns carried out in the state and the success stories achieved through RTI.

Monalisa Changkija, editor of Nagaland Page, said the fear of those in power had made many people keep silent on several issues confronting society. She said the Naga people have to be united to overcome the fear factor. She also hinted at the gun culture in Naga society owing to militancy for several decades.

Worhonthung Ezung, under-secretary at National Information Commission, said information is the oxygen of the modern age. He said right to information laws democratises the process of access to information. The right to information law can play an imperative role in enhancing state effectiveness, credibility and legitimacy by adequately listening and responding to people’s concerns and grievances, he said. He said the right to information laws are not only for journalists but for the common people as well.

“All quarters of society can fight corruption with this simple tool,” he added.

But he said it takes a little bit of courage and motivation to witness the power of real democracy.

Ezung said during 2013-14, the commission had received around 4,000 applications.

He said citizens seem to be at a disadvantage as they lacked political clout and confidence in their knowledge of the legal system, which further created a rift between access to power and authority. “Though there are laws in place for access to information, the biggest challenge is whether one is willing to use the law,” he said.