Opinion - Letters to the Editor   

Save RTI Act

Our citizens got true freedom only when they were given the right to demand and obtain information under the Right to Information Act, 2005. Though Article 19(i)(a) of the Constitution guarantees freedom of speech and expression to every citizen, it is difficult to enforce it under all circumstances. One has to file a writ petition in the judiciary. How many have the time and money to do that? The procedure laid down in the RTI Act to get information is simple and hassle free. We, the citizens, should resolve once again (as we did when we gave to ourselves the Constitution) to fight all attempts to water down the provisions of the Act.

C.S. Rao,
Visakhapatnam, A.P.

The constitutional right to freedom of speech and expression is the repository of the right to information. The people have every right to obtain information on any decision taken by public functionaries. The Government must drop the proposal to amend the RTI Act in the interest of the people and make the existing provisions constitutional guarantees.

Prabhat Kumar Ghosh,
Ghaziabad, U.P.

The objective of the RTI Act was to usher in transparency in governance. It looked like the ruling elite of the day genuinely wanted the government to be accountable to the people, who are the real source of power in a democratic set-up.

The historical Act should not be diluted and all the information, file notings, meeting minutes, etc., should be made accessible. The proposed changes are aimed at providing perpetual protection to wrong doers.

S.S. Venkata Subramanian,
Chennai

The proposed amendment will render the RTI Act weaker and allow the bureaucracy to function in its age-old arbitrary style. The bureaucracy is to a large extent responsible for the perpetuation of corruption in administration and the consequent harassment of people.

Whether it is done in collusion with the political bosses or not will remain unknown if the people are denied the right to know what happens within the bureaucratic machinery.

Y.P. Joshi,
Varanasi, U.P.

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