You must have heard/read these terms - one nation-one tax, one nation-one grid, one nation-one mobility card etc. There is a scheme named One Nation One ration Card, The scheme enables migrant beneficiaries to get their food grains from a FPS of their choice in most parts of the country. But today I would like to tell the story of the One Roti, Two accounts. In this blog, I explain the two different accounts of Roti , One is Roti of PM Garib Anna yojna and second Roti is that which is served in President of India dinner party.

Information Access of Roti

Goverment provides the free and open information about the Roti served under the Scheme of PM Garib Anna yojna ( PMGAY) and National food security. Any citizen can access it from website about the details of the beneficiary ( Famously called Labharthi in Hindi) . On the name of the transparency, Goverment does not honors the privacy of the poor citizen. But when it comes to the Host of the President of India dinner party, matter get changed.

Here is the list of the Beneficiary of the PMGAY from the Prime Minister Modi's Home town Vadanagar for the Month of December 2021.

But regarding the information access of the Roti served in the president house, citizens have to make tireless efforts to get the information. I filed an RTI on the date 2 march 2020 to get information about the dinner hosted by the President of India. The President's secretariat declined to provide information in RTI and also in appeal. I have to file a case with the Central information commission to get the information. Finally after 26 months, President secretariat have to reveal the data.

Eligibility to get the Roti -

For the PM Garib Kalyan ann yojna , there is a detailed criteria set by the government to get the benefit of the Scheme. But on the other hand, There is no such criteria for the president to invite a person for the dinner on the expense of the state exchequer. It is "Prerogative of the president as who should be invited for the banquet".

President of India hosted dinner for the President Trump on 25 February 2022. There were only 85 invitee. Shri Sudhir chaudhry was also one of the invitee. On which basis, president of India invited him? I don't know.

Let Move to Third point - Number of the Beneficiary of the Roti

For the PM Garib Anna yojna , Government publish such large words headlines in PIB updates on website. Government also released posters and advertisement campaign to showcase the number of the benificary of the PMGAY.

But when I sought the information about the number of people who enjoyed the dinner hosted by the President of India, the Secretariat of President refused to provide the information. Here is RTI application of Mine -

President secretariat refused to provide the information -

But thanks to the Decision of the chief information commissioner (CIC), President of India secretariat provided information. Here is the list of the Beneficiary (Labharthi) of the Dinner hosted on the taxpayer money.

Fourth point is- Cost of Roti

Goverment of India and also many state government specially UP government have run blitz of campaign to let the citizen make aware about government spending for the PMGAY.

On other hand, When it comes to the Roti served in President house, Media gets information about the menu of the Dinner hosted by the president's house. But the Media never makes an effort to find out how much it cost to the state exchequer.

But In RTI , I asked about the expenditure of the lavish dinner hosted by the president of India. And I have been informed that...

Last and Most important Point is - Name of the Labharthi of the Roti

As I mention in point 1, The Name of the Labharthi of National food security and other similar scheme is mentioned on website. It is in public domain. But When I asked about Labharthi of the dinner hosted by the President of India, Secretariat replied

Name of guests cannot be provided under provision of 8(1)(j) of the RTI Act, 2005.

This section of the RTI deals with the privacy of Individuals. It says

Information which relates to personal information the disclosure of which has not relationship to any public activity or interest, or which would cause unwarranted invasion of the privacy of the individual unless the Central Public Information Officer or the State Public Information Officer or the appellate authority, as the case may be, is satisfied that the larger public interest justifies the disclosure of such information: Provided that the information, which cannot be denied to the Parliament or a State Legislature shall not be denied to any person.

After Reading the privacy concern of the Labharthi ( benificary) of the President dinner, You will be surprised to know that there is no privacy of the citizen. Goverment put this type of details on the website. Here is the PDS intake of the one family from Ahmadabad city. Everyone can find out that when this family purchase sugar, wheat, rise etc from the PDS store.

Another Important point is, the Media is allowed to take pictures of the Dinner hosted by the President. Media even wrote the name of the Labharthi of the president's Dinner. Then how can the same information be denied to the citizen when asked by RTI ?

When the subject/event is related to privacy, media should not be allowed to take pictures and not allowed post picture on public platforms.

It is just a coincidence that Just yesterday, an Indian express report exposed the Ugly VIP culture prevailing in India. On Thursday, Indian express reported that the Delhi government-run Thyagraj Stadium has been closing its grounds to athletes at 7 pm, apparently to allow Principal Secretary (Revenue) Sanjeev Khirwar to walk his dog on the track. Today Indian express wrote an editorial with the title "Ugly VIP".

We are celebrating the Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav, 75th years of Independence. It is high time to understand the meaning of the Word Republic. Official name of Our country is the Republic state of India. The word Republic denoted that citizens and presidents have equal rights. None have any Privileges and all have rights. Even after that, On 3rd February 2021 - Government said this in Rajyasbha -

Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL), led by GMR consortium, is responsible for extending the VIP Protocol / lounge facility at Delhi Airport to the Hon'ble Members of Parliament

Minister should know that the word VIP is antonyms of the word Republic.

102 Years ago, Gandhiji had chosen salt as the mode of satyagrah as it binds rich-poor , men-women all together. On the same line, I chose the example of the Roti ( Food) that is the basic need of the Human. This Blog aimed to show that how our Republic state treated the Roti of the rich and poor differently. This tells of two Roti aimed to contribute towards promotion of the spirit of the republic nature of ours. This is my contribution to the Aazai ka Amrit Mahotsav.

Even after all these things, need to remember that president secretariat does not provide two crucial information :

1) Name of the invitees
2) Expenditure of the Dinner