The government has decided to bring some drastic amendments to the Right To Information Act 2005, thereby killing the spirit of the Act, which had started proving to be a very empowering Act for the people. This Act, for the first time in the history of the country, gave its citizen the right to determine how decisions are being taken, policies are being shaped and money is being spent in the name of the people. By bringing about the seven proposed amendments, the Act would be rendered worthless.
 
There is a nationwide protest going on by citizens and people's organizations to protest against the amendment. A fast is going on in Delhi and another in Maharashtra. But the government continues to maintain stoic silence and seems to be totally insensitive to the popular demand to not to tamper with the Act. The motive of the government seems suspect.
 
If the government shamelessly pushes the amendments to the Act through the Parliament, the people would have no choice but to protest vigorously. People will have to come out in large numbers on the streets to demonstrate their anger against this anti-democratic step of the government.
 
In the past whenever democracy has been under seige the people of this country have fought with determination to preserve their democratic right. Once again people will rise and save democracy. On the 18th of August, 2006 mass meetings are being planned in Delhi, Lucknow, Jaipur, Varanasi and Gorakhpur. Many more such meetings will be organized nationwide to mobilize people's power against the insidious steps being proposed by the government. The victory will always belong to the people and their determination to save democracy.
 
Aruna Roy                                      Arvind Kejriwal                                      Sandeep Pandey