LS CLEARS RTI AMENDMENT BILL
The government is using its brute majority to not consult the public and simply
ignore the Opposition, which was forced to walk out as government just rubishes
all the points brought up by the various parties against the amendment for
valid reasons lucidly stated. Nor will they refer it to a Select Committee.
This was one of the best instruments of Democracy to question the high
handiness and excesses of the government right upto the highest authorities
legally, by getting access to supressed/hidden information. When the government
appointed information officers illegally denied information sought as per the
RTI Act, the CIC could order them to do so under relevant provisions of the
Act! Our Goa Governor reportedly refused information sought about her official
travel expenses claiming she did not come under the purview of the Act and the
PMO refused to state officially the PMs educational qualifications, both very
much public interest information having nothing to do with national security
etc! If the Rajya Sabha passes it, as was stated by the Opposition in the LS,
the CIC will be a "housemaid" of the government and the RTI converted into
another caged parrot. With arrogance and haste, the Executive bulldozing
legislation, is this the way Modi intends to build "Sub Ka Vishwas?".
