Hazare ready to protest against RTI act amendment despite ailments

Anti-graft crusader Anna Hazare on Tuesday accused the NDA government of "betraying" the people of the country by bringing an amendment in the RTI Act.

He said the landmark transparency law was passed long after independence.

Speaking to reporters in his hometown Ralegan Siddhi in adjoining Ahmednagar district, Hazare said despite his poor health, he was ready to hit the road to safeguard the Right To Information (RTI) Act.

The Lok Sabha on Monday passed the bill amending the RTI Act amid objections by the Opposition which alleged it was an attempt to undermine the law and make the transparency panel a "toothless tiger".

The Right to Information (Amendment) Bill, 2019, takes away the stature of information commissioners from equivalent of election commissioners, with their salaries and service conditions to be specified by the government.

"The country got the RTI Act in 2005, years after independence, but with this amendment in the RTI Act, the government has betrayed the people of the this country," said Hazare at his hometown, around 125km from here.

The veteran social activist said though his health condition was not good, he was ready to join people if they launch an agitation to protect the RTI Act.

Rejecting the opposition's charge that the Bill will weaken the RTI Act, the government had said it was fully committed to transparency and autonomy of the institution.