Narayan Bareth

{{Infobox officeholder

| name = Narayan Barhath

| image =

| office = State Information Commissioner of Rajasthan

| birth_place =

| father =

| mother =

| term_start = December 2020

| term_end = October 2022

| successor =

| nationality = Indian

| website = {{Twitter|BarethNarayan}}

| occupation = {{hlist|Journalist|Political Analyst|professor}}

}}

Narayan Barhath is an veteran Indian journalist, political analyst and the former State Information Commissioner of Rajasthan.{{Cite web |title=India's Karnataka state votes in 'do or die' battle for Modi rivals |url=https://asia.nikkei.com/Politics/India-s-Karnataka-state-votes-in-do-or-die-battle-for-Modi-rivals |access-date=2023-05-11 |website=Nikkei Asia |language=en-GB}} As a journalist, he has been associated with various news groups including BBC, The Asian Age, and The Pioneer.{{Cite web |title=Jaipur: कल से जवाहर कला केंद्र में होंगे राजस्थान डेल्फिक खेल, कला-संस्कृति में ये खेल कराने वाला पहला राज्य |url=https://www.amarujala.com/rajasthan/rajasthan-delphi-games-organized-from-9-to-12-february-at-jawahar-kala-kendra-in-jaipur-2023-02-08 |access-date=2023-05-11 |website=Amar Ujala |language=hi}}{{Cite book |last=Aron |first=Sunita |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=mUywDAAAQBAJ |title=The Dynasty: Born to Rule |date=2016-04-01 |publisher=Hay House, Inc |isbn=978-93-85827-10-5 |language=en |quote=Senior journalist Narayan Bareth who wrote for the BBC from Jaipur, talks about the impact of globalization, which according to him has given the royal families a new aura in the twenty-first century. People have forgotten the atrocities committed by them before the Independence.}} He has served as Professor of Journalism at both the University of Rajasthan's Centre for Mass Communication and Haridev Joshi University of Journalism and Mass Communication.{{Cite web |date=2020-12-05 |title=राजस्थानः डीबी गुप्ता पर जताया सीएम गहलोत ने भरोसा, बने मुख्य सूचना आयुक्त |url=https://www.aajtak.in/india/rajasthan/story/retired-ias-db-gupta-becomes-new-cic-rajasthan-narayan-bareth-becomes-information-commissioner-1172221-2020-12-05 |access-date=2023-05-11 |website=आज तक |language=hi}}{{Cite web |last=strike |first=the news |date=2022-10-21 |title=Newly appointed APRO's five-day capacity enhancement workshop concluded |url=https://thenewsstrike.com/newly-appointed-apros-five-day-capacity-enhancement-workshop-concluded |access-date=2023-05-11 |website=The News Strike |language=en-US}}

Career

= Journalism =

Bareth has been working in the field of journalism for around three decades. He began his career at Navbharat Times in Kota in 1986 and went on to work with various news groups, including The Asian Age, BBC, Dainik Bhaskar, Deccan Chronicle, and The Pioneer. He is credited for laying the foundations for BBC in Rajasthan, working as BBC Rajasthan correspondent for over a decade.{{Cite book |last=प्रसाद |first=अयोध्या |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=uotVDwAAQBAJ |title=चौथा धंधा: किस्से जर्नलिज़्म के |date=2018-04-13 |publisher=Notion Press |isbn=978-1-64249-670-3 |language=hi}}{{Cite web |title=Colloquium Series: "Rajasthan Assembly Elections 2018: A Panel Discussion" {{!}} Azim Premji Foundation |url=https://azimpremjifoundation.org/content/colloquium-series-%E2%80%9Crajasthan-assembly-elections-2018-panel-discussion%E2%80%9D |access-date=2023-05-11 |website=azimpremjifoundation.org}} As an esteemed journalist in Rajasthan, he has extensively covered the desert region's droughts and reported on issues such as the Indo-Pak border, migration, and the influx of refugees from Pakistan. He has also written numerous articles on social discrimination, women's empowerment, and development stories from marginalized communities such as Muslims and Dalits in the state. He was associated with the campaign for the establishment of the RTI Act.{{Cite book |last1=Roy |first1=Aruna |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=taohEAAAQBAJ |title=The RTI Story: Power to the People |last2=Collection |first2=MKSS |date=2018-05-31 |publisher=Roli Books Private Limited |isbn=978-81-937049-1-2 |language=en}} In 2005, Prof Bareth retraced Gandhi's famous Dandi March from Sabarmati to Dandi and documented his journey. Along with attending several orientation programs, he has delivered speeches on media and journalism and participated in workshops in various locations. His research interests include radio journalism.{{Cite web |last=जयपुर |first=संतोष कुमार पांडेय |date=2023-01-15 |title=राजस्थान का एक साल वाला वो पहला दलित मुख्यमंत्री, जिसकी एक गलती पर आलाकमान ने छीन ली कुर्सी |url=https://www.abplive.com/states/rajasthan/rajasthan-first-dalit-cm-jagannath-pahadia-who-was-replaced-by-congress-high-command-within-a-year-ann-2308792 |access-date=2023-05-11 |website=www.abplive.com |language=hi}}{{Cite web |last=भारद्वाज |first=पुलकित |title=अलवर कांड राजस्थान की कांग्रेस सरकार को शर्मसार करने वाला अकेला हालिया मामला नहीं है |url=https://satyagrah.scroll.in/article/127954/rajasthan-lok-sabha-chunav-2019-dalit-mahilaayen-rape-atyaachaar |access-date=2023-05-11 |website=Satyagrah |date=15 May 2019 |language=hi-IN}}{{Cite web |title=राजस्थान के मुस्लिम समुदाय में विषय वस्तू का जानकार व ढंग के भाषण देने वाले सियासी वक्ता का है पूरी तरह अभाव: अशफाक कायमखानी – New India Times |url=http://www.newindiatimes.net/?p=13959 |access-date=2023-05-11 |language=en-GB}}

According to Bareth, caste-issues play minimal role in state elections in Rajasthan which alternates between Congress and BJP every five years.{{Cite book |last=Aron |first=Sunita |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=nFubDwAAQBAJ |title=Ballots and Breakups: The Games Politicians Play |date=2019-06-24 |publisher=Bloomsbury Publishing |isbn=978-93-88414-18-0 |language=en |quote=The BJP came back to power in 1993 and since then it has been rotating government with the Congress every five years. Senior journalist Narayan Bareth said caste-based politics had a limited impact on the state's electoral politics.}} However, it is still an issue today where having a name associated with lower castes sets them apart. He highlighted the name change notices in newspapers, revealing the widespread impact on countless names, not just in Rajasthan.{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=USfZAAAAMAAJ |title=National Council of Churches Review |date=2000 |publisher=National Christian Council of India |language=en}}

Speaking on recent trends, Bareth stated that India has much to preserve in every field, but the market is now dominating everything. According to him, India's culture, spirituality, yoga, clothing, food are its soft power, but the country is losing sight of its identity.{{Cite web |date=2021-11-14 |title=गुरु तेगबहादुर जी के आदर्शों को जीवन में उतारने की आवश्यकता – रामप्रसाद {{!}} पाथेय कण |url=https://patheykan.com/%e0%a4%97%e0%a5%81%e0%a4%b0%e0%a5%81-%e0%a4%a4%e0%a5%87%e0%a4%97%e0%a4%ac%e0%a4%b9%e0%a4%be%e0%a4%a6%e0%a5%81%e0%a4%b0-%e0%a4%95%e0%a5%87-%e0%a4%86%e0%a4%a6%e0%a4%b0%e0%a5%8d%e0%a4%b6/ |access-date=2023-06-01 |language=en-US}} He expressed concern about the media's growing focus on advertising over the public interest, and believes that questioning is crucial to the understanding of society, which should not be suppressed.{{Cite news |date=11 February 2023 |title=हमारी विरासत में आक्रामकता नहीं, शालीनता है, इसे सहेजने की जरुरत-बटब्याल |work=Univarta |url=http://www.univarta.com/news/rajsthan/story/2914526.html}}

= State Information Commissioner =

Narayan Bareth was appointed State Information Commissioner in December 2020.{{Cite web |title=डीबी गुप्ता राजस्थान के मुख्य सूचना आयुक्त, नारायण बारेठ व शीतल धनखड़ बने आयुक्त |url=https://smart.livehindustan.com/jaipur/news/db-gupta-became-the-chief-information-commissioner-of-rajasthan-narayan-bareth-and-sheetal-dhankhar-became-the-commissioners-81607092191304.html |access-date=2023-05-11 |website=Hindustan Smart |language=hindi}}{{Cite web |last=कायमखानी |first=अशफाक |title=नारायण बारेठ को सूचना आयुक्त बनाने की मुख्यमंत्री गहलोत के फैसले की चारों तरफ हो रही है तारीफ – New India Times |date=4 December 2020 |url=https://www.newindiatimes.net/?p=67057 |access-date=2023-05-11 |language=en-GB}}{{Cite web |date=2020-12-05 |title=वरिष्ठ पत्रकार व जर्नलिस्ट्स एसोसिएशन आफ राजस्थान जार के पूर्व मंत्री नारायण बारेठ को राजस्थान सूचना आयुक्त नियुक्ति की बधाई |url=https://jarrajasthan.com/2020/12/05/narayan-bareth-rajasthan-information-commissioner/ |access-date=2023-05-11 |website=जर्नलिस्ट्स एसोसिएशन ऑफ राजस्थान (जार) |language=en}}{{Cite web |date=15 December 2020 |title=सूचना आयुक्त बारहठ का सम्मान |url=https://www.mahanagartimes.com/post/honor-of-information-commissioner-twelve |access-date=2023-05-11 |website=Mahanagar Times |language=en}}

During his 21-month tenure, Bareth resolved more than 7,000 cases, including 389 complaints. In some cases, officers were also directed to update their service records. During his tenre, Bareth fined over 200 rural development and Panchayati Raj officials, plus 35 urban development and local body officials who had failed to provide required information with regards to RTIs filed.{{Cite web |last=Codingest |date=2021-09-21 |title=सूचना के अधिकार के तहत सूचना नहीं देना राज्य के अधिकारियों को पड़ा भारी, सूचना आयोग ने 5—5 हजार रुपए का लगाया जुर्माना |url=https://firstbharat.in/5-officers-of-the-state-suffered-heavy-for-not-giving-information-under-the-Right-to-Information-Information-Commission-imposed-a-fine-of-Rs-5-thousand |access-date=2023-05-11 |website=First Bharat |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=स्टाफ |first=द वायर |date=2021-03-08 |title=राजस्थान: राज्य सूचना आयोग ने दो अधिकारियों पर जुर्माना लगाया |url=https://thewirehindi.com/161722/rajasthan-information-commission-slaps-fine-on-two-official-for-violating-rti-norms/ |access-date=2023-05-11 |website=The Wire – Hindi |language=en-GB}}{{Cite news |date=2022-03-10 |title=Four officials fined for ignoring RTI pleas |work=The Times of India |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/jaipur/four-officials-fined-for-ignoring-rti-pleas/articleshow/90111426.cms |access-date=2023-05-11 |issn=0971-8257}} Bareth stated that he had only 17 months of actual work due to Covid lockdown, and treated all work with priority, including low-influence applications like pension cases and document requests.{{Cite web |last=Delhi 1 |first=Admin |date=2022-10-01 |title=राज्य सूचना आयुक्त नारायण बारेठ का कार्यकाल हुआ समाप्त |url=https://jantaserishta.com/local/rajasthan/state-information-commissioner-narayan-bareths-term-ends-1619056 |access-date=2023-05-11 |website=jantaserishta.com |language=hi}}{{Cite web |title=नारायण बारेठ का कार्यकाल समाप्त, किया 7 हजार से ज्यादा मामलों का निस्तारण |url=https://dainiknavajyoti.com/article/25014/narayan-bareths-term-ends-more-than-7-thousand-cases-resolved |access-date=2023-05-11 |website=dainiknavajyoti.com |language=hi}}{{Cite web |title=सूचना के अधिकार को लेकर आयुक्त ने लगाई अधिकारियों की क्लास, कही ये बात |url=https://zeenews.india.com/hindi/india/rajasthan/jaipur/regarding-the-right-to-information-the-commissioner-imposed-a-class-of-officers-said-this-thing/1134464 |access-date=2023-05-11 |website=Zee News |language=hi}}{{Cite web |last=भाषा |date=2022-04-27 |title=राजस्थान : सूचना कानून के प्रति बेरुखी अपनाने वाले वाले पांच अधिकारियों पर जुर्माना लगाया गया |url=https://hindi.theprint.in/india/राजस्थान-सूचना-कानून-के-प/315441/ |access-date=2023-05-11 |website=ThePrint Hindi |language=en-US}}{{Cite news |last=Iqbal |first=Mohammed |date=2021-07-17 |title=Information Commission upset over pension delay |language=en-IN |work=The Hindu |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/other-states/information-commission-upset-over-pension-delay/article35388859.ece |access-date=2023-05-11 |issn=0971-751X}}

Narayan Bareth acknowledged the importance of using the Right to Information (RTI) Act for good governance. According to him, only 3.5% of the population in Rajasthan is currently using the RTI. Bareth cited Sweden as an example of a country where the RTI has been implemented for nearly 250 years, resulting in faster work pace and almost non-existent corruption. He also stated that the Information Commission is working on increasing awareness about the RTI and that the biggest challenge for the Commission is the backlog of nearly 18,000 pending cases in Rajasthan, with only 5,000 cases resolved so far. Despite the lack of resources, efforts were being made to work on people's appeals.{{Cite web |title=Special सूचना के अधिकार का इस्तेमाल करने में देश पीछे RTI से सुधर सकती है सरकारों की दशा नारायण बारहठ |url=https://www.etvbharat.com/hindi/rajasthan/city/jaipur/rti-reality-in-rajasthan-information-commissioner-narayan-bareth-speak-about-it/rj20220522154956235235436 |access-date=2023-05-11 |website=ETV Bharat News |language=hi}}{{Cite web |date=2022-09-15 |title=राज्य सूचना आयोग का बड़ा फैसला, अब अधिकारियों को लापरवाही पड़ेगी भारी {{!}} Ongoing decision of State Information Commission |url=https://www.patrika.com/jaipur-news/ongoing-decision-of-state-information-commission-7771138/ |access-date=2023-05-11 |website=Patrika News |language=hi-IN}}

As the Information Commissioner, Bareth's last working day saw the resolution of 10 cases. In 21 months, he took no leave and resolved an average of 396 cases per month, which was a record. Bareth instructed Panchayati Raj and local bodies not only to provide information to applicants but also to disseminate and publish that information on their websites.