Govt hell-bent on subverting RTI Act, views it as ‘nuisance’: Sonia Gandhi

Launching a scathing attack on the government in the wake of amendments to the Right of Information (RTI) bill, UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi said that the present dispensation considers RTI Act as a ‘nuisance’ and is hell-bent on destroying the status and independence of the Central Information Commission. On Monday, Lok Sabha passed amendments to the RTI bill amid opposition’s reservation over it. The opposition alleges the government of making the transparency panel a “toothless tiger”.

Alleging the government of trying to subvert the RTI Act, she said that the RTI Act now stands at the ‘brink of extinction’. Her statement reads, “It is a matter of utmost concern that the central government is hell-bent on completely subverting the historic Right to Information Act, 2005. This law, prepared after widespread consultations and unanimously passed by Parliament, now stands at the brink of extinction.”

“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”, she added in her statement.

In response to oppositions’ allegations, government said that it is fully committed to the transparency of the institutions. The govt through RTI (Amendment) Bill, 2019 seeks to fix the salaries, tenures and other terms and conditions of employment of information commissioners.

Moreover, in the current Parliament session other bills like the ‘National Investigative Agency (Amendment) Bill, 2019’ was passed in lower house. The House passed the bill by a voice vote with 278 members supporting its consideration and only six opposing. 

Along with NIA (Amendment Bill), the Aadhaar and Other Laws (Amendment) Bill were also passed from the Rajya Sabha. The Lok Sabha had on July 4 passed the Bill, with a voice vote, which seeks to amend the Aadhaar (Targeted Delivery of Financial and Other Subsidies, Benefits and Services) Act, 2016, the Indian Telegraph Act, 1885 and the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002.

(With PTI inputs)