Every Indian has a right to know: Rahul Gandhi opposes proposed changes in RTI Act, accuses BJP of hiding truth

The proposed amendments allegedly seek to do away with the parity given to information commissions with the EC in terms of salary and allowances.

File photo

New Delhi: Attacking the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for proposing changes in the Right to Information Act, Congress chief Rahul Gandhi on Thursday accused the Centre of hiding the truth from the general public.

“Every Indian has the right to know the truth. The BJP believes the truth must be hidden from the people and they must not question people in power. The changes proposed to the RTI will make it a useless Act. They must be opposed by every Indian. #SaveRTI,” tweeted Rahul.

Every Indian has the right to know the truth. The BJP believes the truth must be hidden from the people and they must not question people in power. The changes proposed to the RTI will make it a useless Act. They must be opposed by every Indian. #SaveRTI pic.twitter.com/4mjBTwQnYK

— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) July 19, 2018

Rahul claimed that changes in the RTI Act – the landmark law in transparency and information – will render it useless.

The Congress chief's tweet came ahead of the ongoing Monsoon Session of Parliament, where the government is expected to table the controversial bill. 

The proposed amendments, circulated among Members of Parliament, seek to do away with the parity given to information commissions with the Election Commission in terms of salary, allowances and conditions of service, RTI activists have said.

Gandhi tweeted a letter by the National Campaign for People's Right to Information, which has challenged the amendments on grounds that thy undermine the independence of information commissions.

A notice of intention was given to introduce 'The Right to Information (Amendment) Bill, 2018' in the Rajya Sabha for consideration and passage during the current session of Parliament, Minister of State for Personnel Jitendra Singh said in a written reply to Lok Sabha yesterday

Leaders of various political parties yesterday said they have committed to fight any "attempt" by the Centre to "dilute" the act and oppose any amendments to it. 

With agency inputs