October 12, 2025

Bengaluru is buzzing as Congress celebrates the 20th birthday of the Right to Information (RTI) Act! This law, born on October 12, 2005, under the UPA government led by Manmohan Singh, gave power to the people by making the government’s secrets revealable. It became a shining torch for democracy, helping ordinary citizens and marginalised groups uncover the truth and hold leaders accountable. But is this light dimming? Congress fears exactly that. Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar, also the Congress state chief, spoke passionately about how the RTI Act, once a fierce guardian of transparency, has slowly been stripped of its strength since 2014. "RTI has been consistently eroded," he said, pointing to the 2019 amendments that shifted control over Information Commissioners to the Union Government, weakening their independence. These moves, he warned, chip away at democracy itself. Things got spicier in 2023 when the Digital Personal Data Protection Act (DPDP) came into play. This law made 'personal information' so broad that vital public data could easily be hidden from citizens. Shivakumar said, "By treating critical public data as private, this undermines public audit and scrutiny." Imagine a veil dropping over government actions! What about the people who protect our right to know? The Information Commissions are gasping for breath. The Central Information Commission, supposed to have 11 members, has only two right now. And the backlog? A staggering 4.05 lakh appeals and complaints remain unanswered as of June 2024! Citizens are left waiting for answers, including on hot topics like the Prime Minister’s foreign tours and the notorious PM CARES Fund. Worse still, those brave enough to seek the truth face dangers. The killings of activists like Shehla Masood and Satish Shetty send cold shivers. Congress calls out the government for ignoring the Whistle Blowers Protection Act, labeling it a "deliberate refusal" that leaves heroes unshielded. So, what’s the call to action? Congress demands a big clean-up: bring back the independence of Information Commissions, fix the DPDP Act’s loopholes, fill empty posts, report on performance openly, and protect RTI users and whistleblowers. They also insist on including journalists, activists, and women voices in these Commissions to make them stronger and fairer. In a world where information is power, Congress says it loud and clear — weakening RTI is weakening democracy. Will the government listen before this vital democratic reform fades into a forgotten chapter? The people hope so!

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Tags: Rti act, Democracy, Transparency, Dk shivakumar, Information commission, Whistleblower protection,