Congress to oppose Bill on RTI, asks BJP allies to follow
New Delhi: The Congress will oppose the Bill to amend the Right to Information (RTI) Act in the Rajya Sabha and urged BJP allies Janata Dal-United (JD-U) and Shiv Sena to oppose it too.
Senior Congress leader P.L. Punia told IANS on Wednesday: “We will not allow the RTI Amendment Act to pass in the Rajya Sabha.”
He said the government was trying to dilute the RTI Act.
Urging the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) partners to oppose the Bill, Punia said: “The JD-U and the Shiv Sena should oppose the bill as RTI brings transparency.”
On Monday, the Lok Sabha passed the Bill amending the RTI Act, 2005 amid objections by the opposition which alleged that it was an attempt to undermine the law and make the transparency panel a “toothless tiger”.
The RTI Amendment Bill seeks to give the government powers to fix salaries, tenures and other terms and conditions of employment of Information Commissioners.
The Bill to amend the RTI Act was supposed to be tabled in the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday. But the government is set to table it on Thursday.
Earlier, Trinamool Congress Rajya Sabha member Derek O’Brien tweeted: “Three Bills listed for passing today in Rajya Sabha. All with zero scrutiny. And the govt expects us to be what? Mute spectators! Constructive Opposition Parliament.”
