Activists want effective steps to strengthen RTI

A number of social activists, including Magsaysay award winner Sandeep Pandey, today sought measures to strengthen the Right to Information (RTI) Act for dissemination of information to people for transparent governance in the country.
Addressing the inaugural session of the state convention of the National Campaign for People's Right to Information (NCPRI), Pandey slammed political parties for opposing a CIC order to make public their financial details under the RTI.
"Why are our political parties hiding their financial details, including collection of donation and expenditure, from public scrutiny under the RTI Act if there is nothing fishy about their accounts?" he asked.

Pandey asked political parties to submit their accounts for public scrutiny if they want RTI to succeed in its objective.
Prominent RTI activist Nikhil Dey emphasised on the safety and security of RTI activists and demanded enactment of a Whistleblowers' Protection Act to protect volunteers from vested interests.
Padmashree Sudha Verghese, who runs an NGO, opposed the proposed amendment to the RTI Act saying that it would dilute its strength.