A colourful kite-flying event by 50-60 young people at Jantar Mantar, the site of the ongoing dharna by the Campaign to Save the Right to Information, marked the 8th day of the protest against the proposed amendments to the RTI Act, on Independence Day today. Around 150 kites with slogans like "Hamara Paisa, Hamara Hisaab", "RTI Act mein sanshodhan mat karo, mat karo", and "Save the RTI Act" dotted the skies this morning. The youngsters, from kachhi bastis in and around Malviya Nagar area in Delhi, were part of Satark Nagarik Sangathan, which has been working on RTI in relation to the public distribution system.

A candlelight vigil and street plays will be organised later in the night, at the venue of the dharna. Tommorow evening, a ghotala rath yatra, a theatrical procession which satirizes the politicians and their indulgences in acts of corruption, will begin at 5.00 p.m from Jantar Mantar and proceed in and around the area. It is intended that the ghotala rath yatra will cover many parts of Delhi in the coming days. On the evening of 17th of August, the first counting of votes put in during the people's referendum will commence.

Many prominent citizens and organisations continued to extend their support to the Campaign. A statement issued by the All India Democratic Women's Association, signed by President Subhashini Ali and General Secretary Sudha Sundararaman reads as follows: "On behalf of the AIDWA, we wish to extend out support to the struggle against attempts by the UPA government to dilute the provisions of the Right to Information Act. We condemn this very undemocratic step that is being contemplated. We sincerely hope that the widespread opposition to this will make the government re-think its very ill-thought and thoroughly retrograde attempt to render the Act toothless. We assure you of our support in every way."

Expressing his support, Narayanamoorthy of Infosys said, "It will help improve governance if file notings are available for public scrutiny. The reported move to disallow file notings from public view is therefore not in public interest."

In a statement by Amnesty International, Mukul Sharma, National Director said, "....Exemptions of file notings would deny the right of the citizens to know the authority that had commented on the issues concerned, as well as the content of the comments. We feel that such a decision would have an adverse effect on bringing in accountability and transperancy in governance. The Act, it is being widely recognised, has been a tool to check corruption at all levels. Any attempt to dilute the Act would only encourage such wrong practices, which result in denial of people's fundamental rights.....Amnesty International India, while extending support to the dharna (sit-in) in Delhi, appeal the Government to desist from any action which would weaken the Act."