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It’s November 2016 and the winter sun is setting over the city of Kanpur. Another day went by and a dejected Udayveer Singh walks out of the bank making his way through the swarm of people who are still trying to understand demonetization and how exactly it’s going to help the nation. Udayveer, however, has different questions. All he cares about is the hard-earned money that he deposited in his account almost a week ago that is still not reflecting in his account. He has already made a few complaints and has been reassured that the matter will be looked into. But today, Udayveer feels hopeless and anxious and needs definite answers. Fortunately for him, there is a helping hand in Chaubepur village. It sits on the outskirts of the city in a tiny nondescript tea stall, the RTI Tea Stall.
Helping villagers through perplexing questions, the RTI Tea Stall was initiated by KM Yadav, popularly known as KM Bhai, a 29-year-old social worker from Kanpur with a mission to empower rural communities. “The most basic thing that the rural communities lack is awareness about their own rights. At this stall, people can get RTI forms, the necessary numbers, an understanding of the entire filing process for illiterates, with a piping cup of chai of course,” he says. KM Bhai started off as a social worker back in 2010. One day a few of his colleagues set up a Right To Information (RTI) Awareness Camp in the city, encouraging people to make good use of the tool. He educated himself about the RTI at the camp and subsequently attended all other related workshops, realising the power of this tool for the common man. “I always wanted to work towards the development of rural communities. The RTI was a tool that gave wings to my dreams,” he states.
Having done a lot of fieldwork and research in the villages, KM Bhai realised that villagers were often hesitant about entering offices. He wanted to have a permanent space where they would feel comfortable; come freely, discuss and get enlightened about the process. While he was discussing this dilemma with a colleague at a chai stall, the chaiwala overheard them and suggested that they set up an RTI booth right here. “Just like the tea, the RTI belongs to everyone. Why don’t you set up a booth here? This RTI will rid the nation of corruption,” he said to KM Bhai who was first amused at the idea but soon realised just how practical it would be. And as such, the RTI Tea Stall was set up at Chaubepur, the first one where people could avail all details regarding RTI for free. Four more similar stalls have also been set up in nearby villages. “There will be a few more by the end of December 2017,” KM Bhai says.
KM Bhai and his small team have faced many challenges over the years, especially from government officials and income tax officers who often threatened them and chased them away, but the RTI Tea Stall faced all odds and garnered a lot of public support. “The local communities are so much more aware now. Many institutions invite us to conduct RTI Training. But now our main aim is to empower rural women through this tool,” KM Bhai says explaining his vision. Though his team has trained more than 2000 rural women, they wish to cover around 100 more villages for the same, however, a lack of funds is restraining him to do so. He is now making appeals to people and organisations to help him in his venture.
It’s not just people from the villages but city-dwellers as well that have sought help from the stall. People who stop by for a cup of tea go back having filed RTI’s that help them seek information relating to matters like electricity, ration, education, banking services, access to documents among others. “Many people have benefited from the same,” says KM Bhai recounting an experience of a certain primary school teacher who was able to avail his delayed salary when access to documents was granted to him through an RTI. So far, more than 1000 people from nearby districts and villages such as Ghatampur, Kannauj, Frukabad, Jhansi, Allahabad, Jalaun, Lucknow, Unnao, Fatehpur, Deoria, Gorakhpur, have filed RTI’s at the tea stall. He also regularly hosts discussions (chai pe charcha), workshops and seminars to disseminate more information. The RTI Tea Stall is open 7 days a week, from 7 AM to 8 PM.
You can reach out to KM Bhai at akmyadav@gmail.com
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