Fissures develop in AGNI

The Star ratings of candidates for the upcoming civic polls by city-based NGO AGNI (Action for Good Governance and Networking in India) came under cloud after the senior member and media coordinator of the NGO resigned protesting against what he described as partial system of holding the ratings for one candidate’s affidavit and the restrictive policy of disseminating the ratings to a section of the media.

In his email to the trustees of AGNI, Sharad Kumar said the release of star ratings was stopped on January 26, when it was found that it did not include the affidavit of Independent candidate George Abraham.

“Instructions were given to us to get the balance 140 affidavits by vice chairman DM Sukhtankar. But special arrangements were made to get Abraham’s affidavit, if not others, so that his star rating is included. So much for our sincerity and fairness. Is this not partial that just one person’s rating should stop our release?” asked Kumar. Kumar said the press conference planned on January 27 to inform the media about the ratings and the methodology was delayed thanks to the NGO’s commitment to two city newspapers, which were favoured over others.

“AGNI has succumbed to the pressures of two newspapers to such an extend that they dictated everything including the when the ratings should be on AGNI website,” he alleged. Kumar admitted that the serious lapses by the NGO had raised questions about the credibility of the rating system putting the hard work of volunteers in doubt.

AGNI chairman BG Deshmukh said he was aware of the selective leak of the ratings to two newspapers. However, convenor Gerson da Cunha, said he had complete support of the senior members in the decision to pass the list to two newspapers above others. “We do not have the resources to reach out 75 lakh people. Our responsibility was to reach out to citizens. Kumar’s accusations are nasty, which have made me speechless,” said da Cunha.

He insisted that AGNI wanted to publish the ratings in a serial order, a request, which was met by a section of the media, while others did not respond. “Yes, I insisted on getting affidavit of George Abraham. But, why not? We also tried to procure as many affidavits as possible. We were trying out a new system, and knew it would not be flawless. Those who keep personal grievances above the institution must be expelled,” he said. 

But not everyone is buying this defence. AGNI coordinator Indrani Malkani said the essence of public service to the electors was lost in the media war over the ratings.  “We were told to create block of 1,000 electors in each area ensuring that they vote for a particular candidate. This kind of alignment is unethical,” alleged Malkani. Malkani claimed the NGO’s ‘meet-the-candidate’ programmes had created awareness amongst electors. “No one told us why we changed our policies and got into a rating system, whose criteria are not defined,” she said.