Mazloom Nadaf, an old, frail rickshaw puller and Right to Information Act activist in Bihar's Madhubani district, has been on fast for the last six days in support of social activist Anna Hazare's demand for a strong Lokpal in the country.
"I am fasting in support of Anna Hazare's agitation and I will continue it as long as possible to strengthen Anna's movement against corruption," Mazloom Nadaf, who is in his early 70s, said.
Nadaf said it was not easy for him to temporarily quit pulling his rickshaw and sit on a fast. "Being a rickshaw puller, it is my livelihood, but I decided to give it up for some time in support of Anna," Mazloom Nadaf told rediff.com over the telephone through a social activist who is associated with India Against Corruption.
"I have been fighting against corruption for the last five years at the local level with my limited knowledge, and creating awareness among the literate, illiterate and the poorest of poor," said Nadaf. He is well-known outside the state as the first person from Bihar to reap the benefits of the RTI Act in 2006.
Impressed by Anna, Nadaf now hopes to meet his hero. He made it clear that he would love to meet Anna if some one helped him. "I would like to thank Anna for making corruption a people's issue and forcing them to come on the streets" Nadaf said.
He recalled that RTI activist Arvind Kejriwal and Manish Sisodia, two important members of Team Anna had visited his village few years ago after he used the RTI Act to build his house under the Indira Awas Yogana the country's national housing scheme.
Mazloom Nadaf's struggle to build his house using the RTI Act is regarded as a success story across the country.
According to him, five years after he applied for a house under IAY, local government officials demanded Rs 5000 to process his application. However, he refused to give a bribe and instead used RTI to get things done rightfully.
He approached the legal aid centre of a non governmental organisation working in Madhubani district and sought their assistance in drafting and filing an RTI application.
In his application Mazloom asked for the daily progress report made on his application to avail of the Indira Awas Yojana. "I received a substantial amount without paying any bribe within 10 days of filing an application under RTI Act," he said.
Rupesh, an RTI activist in Madhubani said that Mazloom Nadaf was the first RTI applicant from Bihar and now many have followed in his footsteps. "Most of the time you will find Nadaf taking people on his rickshaw to some RTI activist," he said.
