Former Central Information Commissioner Shridhar Acharyulu has written to YSR Congress Party (YSRCP), Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) and Biju Janata Dal (BJD), questioning them on why they stood in support of the RTI Amendment Bill proposed by the Modi government.

Shridhar Acharyulu has said, "I am surprised when you have supported the RTI (Amendment) Bill 2019, and asked your MPs in Rajya Sabha to vote for this Bill. I do not know whether you or your MPs have read the Bill and understand the implications of the changes are proposed. I thought all three of you are eminent personalities sacrificed a lot in taking up the issues of the people, striving for the interests of the region you are representing and also the rights and sovereign powers of the States under Indian Constitution."

"Please try to take the assistance of your legal teams and find how your support to this bill will kill your sovereign powers at least now, which you should have done before supporting it. You have a duty to answer these questions, morally, legally (as Section 4(1)(c) of RTI Act mandates), constitutionally (Federal principles) and politically (as you have proclaimed that you would form a front and fight for the rights of the states, against the centralization of powers by the Union)," he added.

The Rajya Sabha on Thursday passed the Right to Information (Amendment) Bill, 2019 by a voice vote amid a walkout from the Congress, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), Trinamool Congress (TMC) and the other opposition parties. The legislation was passed after the Opposition's proposal to send the RTI Amendment Bill to select committee was defeated with 117-75 in the Rajya Sabha.



The RTI bill was earlier passed in the Lok Sabha on Monday, three days after it was introduced by the government. In the Lok Sabha, 218 members voted in favour of the RTI (Amendment) Bill, while 79 went against the legislation.



The Centre had introduced the bill in the Lok Sabha on Friday to amend the RTI Act, seeking to give the government powers to fix salaries, tenures and other terms and conditions of employment of information commissioners amid vehement protests by opposition members.



Earlier, UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi had alleged that the Narendra Modi government is "hell-bent on completely subverting" the RTI Act. Sonia Gandhi had also alleged that the government wants to "destroy" the independence of the Central Information Commission. Her reaction came a day after the Lok Sabha passed the RTI Amendment Bill.



"It is a matter of utmost concern that the central government is hell-bent on completely subverting the historic Right to Information Act, 2005. This law, prepared after widespread consultations and unanimously passed by Parliament, now stands at the brink of extinction," Sonia Gandhi said in the statement.

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