Shillong, August 12: The Meghalaya Right to Information Movement comprising of , M N Syiem, Angela Rangad, Sadon Blah ,Jo Marwein, Agnes Kharshiing, leaders of different NGO’s of Meghalaya with the rest of the country is protesting the proposed amendments to the RTI Act 2005.
In The press statement sign by them they said that “ we are writing to you to urge you to support the demand for halting the regressive amendments proposed to the RTI act and to voice your concern for the need to protect the spirit of transparency and accountability that has been ushered in through the RTI”.
In Meghalaya as in the rest of the country there is a deepening crisis in governance and a growing mistrust of the political establishment. This move to amend the RTI , as a sharp reaction to the recent Central Information Commission order, which declared six political parties to be public authorities under the RTI Act, will only further erode the credibility of the Political Establishment.
As citizens of India, empowered by the RTI Act, demand that it not be amended. The Act has enabled the making of informed choices and strengthened participatory democracy; by enabling the citizens of India to monitor and access services throughout the country.
Any amendment to the RTI Act would undermine and weaken the process of realizing various constitutional promises. In 2009, when amendments were being proposed to the RTI Act, the concerned minister of the government had assured Parliament, in response to a question, that “Non- Governmental Organisations and Social activists will be consulted on the proposed amendments.” We would, therefore, expect the government to hold wide ranging public discussions before they think of amending the law in any way.
“ We are confident that the government will recognise the force of our demand and not take steps to amend and thereby dilute the Right to Information law, which has been acknowledged in India and abroad, as an affirmation of the right of Indian citizens to participate in, and monitor, democratic governance”. Said the press statement of the Meghalaya Right to Information movement.(SP News)
