Protect Right to Information - Don't allow it to be amended
While people were still struggling to get information from the “tough nuts” in the bureaucracy after the enforcement of the “Right to Information Act 2005,” the government thought of bringing an amendment. Everyone was expecting amendment and new rules to help overcome the bottlenecks and denial of information on flimsy grounds but what came in was a rude shock. It was announced that the cabinet wants to deprive people of the right to obtain copies of noting from the files. We protest on such a move and appeal to the Indian Prime Minister to desist from taking such an action against the interest of one billion people of India.
Dear Dr. Manmohan Singh’ji,
India was happy when the newly formed “Right to Information Act 2005” came into effect in October 2005. Despite the enforcement of the “Right to Information Act 2005,” people are finding it difficult to get information from the government and are still struggling to get information from the “tough nuts” in the bureaucracy.
While the people are still learning to use the RTI Act, the government’s announcement that it is planning to bring an amendment came as a shock. Everyone was expecting amendment and new rules to help overcome the bottlenecks and denial of information on flimsy grounds by the bureaucracy but what has been announced is a rude shock for the hapless public of India. We have come to know that the cabinet wants to deprive people of the right to obtain copies of noting from the files.
This move by your government will literally kill the Act. After the proposed amendments, the RTI Act will become just another piece of paper. We understand that the intent of the Act was to exposure of the inefficiency and corruption and to highlight that system is process-centric and not people-centric. The Act was also supposed to bring a greater level of transparency. After the amendment all these objectives would be lost.
We find that the gossips and evil intentions of some selfish bureaucrats are misguiding the political leadership about the RTI objectives and the political leadership seems to have given in. Once again, a few bureaucrats seem to weigh more than the voice of a billion people. The public is getting an impression that the selfish interests are once again proving to be heavier than democratic values. Please don’t breach the trust of Indian public at such an important juncture. Please don’t allow the amendment to the “Right to Information Act” take place. Please don’t let the public feel that they have been cheated.
The nation looks towards you to protect their unfettered right to get information. Please keep the nations faith.
