It cited Section 8(1)(j) of the Right to Information Act, 2005, saying disclosure of such information could directly or indirectly lead to the identification or tracing of the individual concerned.
Gokhale questioned the decision, saying the RTI application had only sought the number of pellet gun injury victims and not their identities or personal details.
‘Bizarrely, AIIMS has refused to disclose the information claiming ‘it might directly or indirectly lead to identification of the patient’. How does disclosing the number of pellet gun victims enable ‘identification of the person’? Patient details have not been sought. All that’s been asked for is a simple number,’ he said.
‘Why are Modi-Shah so desperate to bury information about pellet gun victims from the Delhi protests? Even after a month, the govt has not released any details. We still don’t know how many victims in total suffered pellet gun injuries on 20th July. And now hospitals are being asked to suppress information,’ Gokhale said.
The TMC leader added, ‘If Modi-Shah claim that the pellet gun use on unarmed protestors was legal, why so scared to disclose the details?’
Earlier, Gokhale had said records obtained from Lady Hardinge Hospital and Safdarjung Hospital showed nine people and one person, respectively, with pellet gun injuries on 20 July. He had said records from AIIMS and RML Hospital were awaited.
The AIIMS response also said no advisory was issued and no mass casualty or disaster management protocol was activated on 20 July. It said no leave was cancelled on that day.
With PTI inputs
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