In a first, the Uttar Pradesh government will make people aware of the Right to Information (RTI) on the sands of Sangam during the 2025 Mahakumbh.
The initiative aims to empower citizens by raising awareness about their rights, enabling them to fight for justice.
All Information Commissioners of Uttar Pradesh will be present at the Mahakumbh to inform devotees about the various aspects of RTI. In addition to explaining the concept of RTI, devotees will also be introduced to digital methods for accessing information.
It is worth mentioning here that the Uttar Pradesh government under the leadership of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has been spearheading a significant anti-corruption campaign, bringing much-needed relief to the public across the state and ensuring greater accountability and transparency among officials.
Taking a cue from Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s and Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s clarion call for digitizing the Mahakumbh, the Information Commission of Uttar Pradesh has also stepped in to take the campaign forward. Hence, their emphasis on the importance of fighting corruption through digital platforms.
To facilitate this, a special camp will be set up in the Maha Kumbh Mela area, where digital experts will guide devotees on RTI and how to access it through platforms such as Google, Facebook, X, Instagram, and WhatsApp.
Uttar Pradesh State Information Commissioner, Virendra Singh Vats said here on Monday that the RTI is a powerful tool for creating a corruption-free environment in the state. “Efforts are, therefore, being made to ensure that the rights of common citizens are protected and that the devotees attending the Mahakumbh are made aware of the same”, he stated.
He further mentioned that, for the first time, efforts on such a large scale are being made to educate devotees about their rights at the Mahakumbh.
“Devotees will learn how to use their rights effectively, while at the same time realizing that in their fight against injustice they have the government’s backing. Every bit of information related to the RTI would be disseminated to the public, and there would be discussions in which the Information Commissioners would be engaging with the public”, he stated further.
In addition, the opinions of the general public will be gathered. All Information Commissioners, along with the Chief Information Commissioner, will engage with the devotees to discuss steps that can be taken to enhance the effective use of the RTI.
The Mahakumbh is set to be the biggest cultural event in the world, where both the nation and the world will witness the miracle of Brand UP. As part of this, the State Information Commission will run a campaign to raise awareness of RTI. The campaign will also engage the public through various books that will spark their interest. There are plans to encourage widespread participation in the RTI initiative.
Virendra Singh Vats mentioned that these books will contain valuable material on RTI, which will help common people access the information they are entitled to.