Cong takes dig at Modi over attending RTI convention

Congress today took a dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi over attending convention to celebrate 10 years of RTI Act, wondering whether "imminent defeat" of the BJP in poll-bound Bihar forced him to cancel rallies and participate in the event.
"Is it that the imminent defeat of the BJP in Bihar, forced him to cancel his rallies - to shield himself from the blame of loss - and attend the RTI Convention?", party spokesperson Rita Bahuguna Joshi posed the question at the AICC briefing.
She also sought to know whether the PM cancelled his rallies and attended the function owing to a "change of heart" because of Congress exhortation a few days back.

She recalled that on October 12 which marks the RTI Day, the Prime Minister because of his "engagements" with election rallies in Bihar did not attend any function to mark the celebration and review of RTI Act.
The government got the function shifted today, and even today it was Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and not the Prime Minister, who was supposed to attend the function, she said.
"One is constrained to question here as to the reason behind the decision of Modi attending the Convention today.

Noting that the Prime Minister stressed on strengthening the RTI Act and said that people should have the right to question their governments, Joshi hoped that the Prime Minister will "walk his talk" and act on what he said today.

"Till now, his actions - be it with regards to diluting the RTI or silencing protesting voices - have been in total contrast to what he said," she added.
She also condemned the selective invites to RTI activists and their IB checks.