4 days ago
- Politics
- New Indian Express
Rebel with a cause: A long journey on right route to empowerment
MADURAI: In an age where transparency in governance often feels elusive, one man from Madurai district has quietly yet powerfully made the system more accountable—armed with nothing more than a pen and the Right to Information (RTI) Act. NG Mohan, the 73-year-old retired transport conductor from Mannadimangalam in Vadipatti Taluk, has spent the last 15 years exposing fraud, correcting administrative lapses, and empowering citizens through RTI. With over 1,200 RTI petitions to his name and more than 1,200 youngsters trained in using the Act, Mohan has become a formidable figure in Tamil Nadu's grassroots activism landscape.
Reflecting on the inspiration behind his activism, Mohan gives credit to his father, N Gurusamy Pillai, a farmer who was deeply influenced by socialist and communist ideologies. 'During my school days, many top communist leaders, including P Ramamurthy stayed in our house during their political campaigns,' he recalled. This early exposure laid the foundation for his political and social consciousness. After schooling in Mannadimangalam, he pursued a BA in political science.
However, Mohan's straightforward attitude often clashed with political realities. 'When the youths' voice and opinions are neglected, they feel marginalised and disengage from politics. That's what happened with me,' he said. Despite stepping away from active politics, his commitment to social welfare continued. In 1978, he joined the erstwhile Pallavan Transport Corporation (now TNSTC) as a conductor and became involved with the Labour Progressive Federation, which advocates for transport workers' rights.
