Thiruvananthapuram: Opposing the move to
dilute the RTI Act, BJP leader L K Advani on Saturday said Prime
Minister Manmohan Singh`s talk of a relook at the Act could be
due to "sharp" differences between some of his ministers
giving the impression of a "civil war" within the government.
"I see no reason for the talk of a critical relook at the
RTI except for the fact that differences between (Union
ministers) Pranab Mukherjee and Chidambaram came to fore very
sharply and gave the impression of a civil war going on within
the government. That is the only reason for the anger of
Prime Minister against RTI," he told reporters here.
BJP was totally opposed to any move to dilute the Act,
through which some of the major corruption cases had come to
light, he said.
UPA government, which claimed RTI as one of its major
achievements, was now trying to have a relook at it as
certain corruption exposes had materialised through the RTI
itself, Advani said. "We are opposed to any change of any
kind in the RTI law," he said.
Asked if the BJP had the moral standing to take on the
Congress on corruption when former Karnataka Chief minister
B S Yeddyurappa was in jail, Advani said, "I have ever spared
anybody and have given my position on Karnataka and nothing
more to say on that."
Asked whether the yatra was meant to project himself as a
Prime Ministerial candidate, he said the party`s stand would
be decided at the time of elections. "When elections come, we
will declare what has to be declared", he said.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had said a critical look
must be taken at the RTI Act and concerns on it discussed and
addressed. "The Right to Information should not adversely
affect the deliberative processes in the Government," he had
said.
PTI
