Time mila toh I'll think about politics - Aishwarya Parashar

Jul 24 2015 : The Times of India (Lucknow)
Time mila toh I'll think about politics
Saloni Tandon


One of the youngest RTI activists, city girl Aishwarya Parashar has
been asking the government pertinent questions about civic issues,
governance and Indian history

Thirteen-year-old Aishwarya Parashar has as many RTI queries to her
name as her age, making her one of the youngest RTI activists in the
country . The Class IX student of CMS Rajajipuram filed her first RTI
query at the age of seven, and there has been no stopping her since
then. From questions pertaining to her History classes that her
teacher can't answer to governance matters in the country ,
Aishwarya's RTI applications have even left the concerned authorities
stumped at the little girl's knack for questioning.

MY MOM TAUGHT ME ABOUT RTI
"My mother, Urvashi Sharma, is a social activist. She would hold
sessions with people every Sunday who would come and discuss their
problems with her. When I was in Class 3, I heard her telling a few
people about the Right to Information. It was then that I came to know
what it is," says Aishwarya, as she goes on to tell us about her first
RTI query . "I was in Class III only and there was this garbage house
right outside our school. Everybody used to complain about it, but to
no avail. I filed an RTI to the CM Office asking who would take
responsibility if any of the kids fell ill because of the unhygienic
condition outside our school. Within a month, the garbage house was
cleared and now, a library has been constructed there. Because of the
prompt action taken then, I knew it was an effective tool," she adds.

FROM CLEAN GANGA TO FATHER OF THE NATION
Aishwarya's queries have ranged from local civic issues to more
pertinent questions about the country's history . Like her 2012 query
to the PMO on the title of `Father of the Nation' given to Mahatma
Gandhi."I had read in my history books that Gandhiji was called Father
of the Nation. But who gave him that title, since when was he called
that and if there was an official order ­ there was no information on
that. So I filed an RTI to the Prime Minister's Office, which kept
being forwarded to different departments for a long time. Finally , I
came to know that the earliest reference of the title was in a speech
by Subhash Chandra Bose and there was no official order related to
it," she explains.

Aishwarya's latest RTI was addressed to the CM Office in UP and the
PMO, seeking details on the funds spent and the meetings called in FY
2014-15 and 2015-16 in the Clean Gomti and Clean Ganga campaigns.
"I filed the query in May 2015. The response I got was that the
central government had not spent any money on the campaign in FY
2015-16," she says.

Another RTI by Aishwarya which turned out to be quite a revelation was
regarding hockey being the national game of India. "I wanted to know
when had the government issued an order to announce the country's
national game, and the response I got from the Ministry of Youth
Affairs was that there was no official order or notification which
gives hockey the status of national game!" she says.

PEOPLE THINK FILING AN RTI IS A VERY CUMBERSOME PROCESS
Aishwarya has encouraged her friends and teachers to get RTI-friendly
. "It is a misconception that filing an RTI is a long process. I just
write the application, pay the `10 application fee by Indian Postal
Order and send it to the concerned office by speed post. Initially, I
would take my mother's help, but now I can do it on my own," says
Aishwarya, adding, "After seeing me, a few of my friends and even my
father have also started filing RTIs." Ask her about the problems she
faces and she says nonchalantly , "Kabhi kabhi RTI transfer kar dete
hain. Kabhi response delay ho jaata hai jisse appeal file karne ka
time nikal jaata hai. In that case, I have to file the RTI again. But
I haven't faced any hassles as such."

I WANT TO BECOME A CARDIOLOGIST
Like other girls her age, Aishwarya is extremely fond of singing and
dancing. "Now studies are so much, I don't get much for my hobbies,
but I used to attend dance classes when I was in Class VI," says
Aishwarya, who aspires to be a cardiologist. "I want to become a heart
specialist, but my friends keep saying I should become a politician.
But first I'll concentrate on becoming a doctor, phir time mila toh
I'll think about politics," she says candidly .

SHE'S ALWAYS HAD A QUESTIONING ATTITUDE
Aishwarya's mother, Urvashi Sharma, attributes Aishwarya's affinity
for RTIs to her inquisitive nature. "Bachpan se hi Aishwarya aisi hi
rahi hai ­ kya ho raha hai, kyun ho raha hai, she's always been very
questioning. She reads the newspapers and all her queries from her
classes or current matters which we or her teachers can't answer, she
files an RTI for the same," says Urvashi.

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