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August 9, 2006, College Park, Maryland, USA
 
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Indian Citizens Launch Global Relay Fast to Save Right to Information Act
 
NRIs Organize "Corruption, Quit India" Rally Outside Indian Embassy in DC

Photos from "Corruption, Quit India" Rally: http://gallery.aidindia.org/gallery2/v/RTI-Protest/
Save Right to Information Campaign website: http://rti.aidindia.org

In an international campaign to save the Right to Information (RTI) Act from being diluted by the Indian government, concerned citizens from different walks of life, all over the world, are voicing their protests by undertaking solidarity fasts with Indian grassroots activists and urging the government to refrain from tabling the proposed Amendments to the RTI Act 2005 in the Indian Parliament.

"I condemn the attempts by the Manmohan Singh led UPA government to cripple and dilute the RTI Act. The dilution will shield corrupt bureaucrats and politicians with denying the public's right to know." says Aniruddha Vaidya, a computer researcher and California resident fasting in solidarity with the groups in India.

Well-known anti-corruption crusader, Padma Bhushan Anna Hazare, has launched a fast unto death at Shri Kshetra Alandi (25 kms from Pune), from August 9, 2006, to fight against the direct attack on the common man's right and the plans to weaken RTI Act.

"This is a battle between bureaucracy and leadership wanting to continue to function without being accountable to the citizens and a citizenry now bent upon making the process of governance transparent to the people." said Sandeep Pandey, a Magsaysay award winning social activist, who is also sitting on a fast from August 8, 2006 in New Delhi, demanding the Government to leave the RTI Act untouched.

NRI groups in the US, including several chapters of the Association for India's Development (AID), Asha for Education, Praja Net, India Friends Association, AIMS India have come together to mobilize Indians to join the Save Right to Information campaign .

Carrying placards and shouting slogans like "Corruption, Quit India", "Indian Government, Stop the Amendment", "Bureaucrats who cheat and lie, Government don't let them hide" , over 25 concerned Indian citizens belonging to AID-College Park and Baltimore, Asha-DC, DC-Collective and AIMS India staged a loud protest in front of the Indian Embassy in Washington DC on August 9, 2006. The Ambassador, Mr. Ronen Sen has agreed to meet with the representatives of the concerned Indian diaspora on August 10, 2006.

NRIs have also been calling and emailing the Prime Minister's Office, Members of Parliament and the Ministry of Personnel to express their anger and disappointment over the Government's action. Over 5000 people have already signed an online petition or sent faxes to the Prime Minister, urging him to reverse the amendments.

 The amendments seek to exempt "file-notings" from the purview of the Right to Information Act, thereby keeping the decision making process under covers. Several prominent non-governmental organizations, people's movements, grassroots and civil society groups all over India, including Parivartan, National Campaign for People's Right to Information and Asha Parivar, have been sitting in a dharna at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi since August 7, 2006, protesting the authoritarian action of the Indian Government.