Sonia Gandhi, who played a critical role in introducing the revolutionary Right to Information (RTI) Act during the Manmohan Singh government in 2005, said on Tuesday the Narendra Modi regime’s attempt to dilute the law would disempower ordinary citizens of the country.
Congress sources said an “anguished” Sonia had asked party leaders in the Rajya Sabha to ensure that Parliament’s upper House does not pass the RTI amendment bill.
The bill, passed by the Lok Sabha on Monday, seeks to allow the Centre to fix the salaries and tenures of the central information commissioner, information commissioners and state chief information commissioners, which are now on a par with those of the chief election commissioner and the election commissioners.
Congress floor managers were not too optimistic, saying that parties like the Biju Janata Dal, YSR Congress and the Telangana Rashtra Samithi, which are opposed to the changes, were unlikely to join other Opposition parties in blocking the bill in the Rajya Sabha.
“The bill will pass,” a senior Congress leader said. “The only parties which would vote against it under any circumstances are the Congress, Trinamul, DMK, NCP, RJD, TDP and the Left. We are not sure what the SP-BSP will do, though they are opposed to the changes. The BJD, TRS and the YSR Congress would prefer to walk out rather than back our move to block the bill’s passage. We will, however, make the strongest possible attempt to send the bill to a select committee.”
Sonia, who watched the Opposition fight valiantly in the Lok Sabha on Monday, issued a statement articulating her concern.
“It is clear that the present Central Government sees the RTI Act as a nuisance and wants to destroy the status and independence of the Central Information Commission which was put on par with the Election Commission and the Central Vigilance Commission. The Central Government may use its legislative majority to achieve its aims but in the process it would be disempowering each and every citizen of our country,” the statement said.
“It is a matter of utmost concern that the Central Government is hell-bent on completely subverting the historic Act,” it added, pointing out that over 60 lakh countrymen and women had used the law and ushered in a new culture of transparency and accountability in administration at all levels.
“This law, prepared after widespread consultations and passed unanimously by Parliament, now stands on the brink of extinction.”
Sonia, who as then Congress president headed the National Advisory Council that drafted the bill after thorough public consultations, said the law had strengthened the foundations of India’s democracy immeasurably and the weaker sections had benefited the most.
Activists who were part of the process slammed the government for bulldozing the changes despite strong opposition.
Aruna Roy, who headed the team of activists, rued that the government was destroying a historic legislation.
RTI activist Anjali Bharadwaj took to Twitter to respond to information and broadcasting minister Prakash Javadekar’s claim that a section of people was mischievously maligning the government although there was no compromise with the autonomy of the information commission.
“This is a serious accusation against those opposing RT amendment bill. Prakash Javadekar ji, we invite you to publicly debate whether the amendments compromise autonomy of Information Commission or not. Let people decide if there is merit in our arguments or it is a mischievous attempt to malign the Government,” Bharadwaj tweeted.
