Endorsements from NRI Groups and Associations

If you are a part of an NRI or an Indian professional, entrepreneurial, regional, social, cultural or alumni group, association or network, then ask them to sign the formal letter of endorsement attached below, opposing the proposed Amendments to the Right to Information Act.

Endorsement Letter

We are deeply distressed that Government of India has approved the introduction of an amendment to the Right to Information Act 2005 in the Parliament that includes exempting of file notings from the purview of the Act. We firmly believe that this retrograde move is a body blow to the revolutionary law that has the potential to transform the governance process in India for the better.

The Act was meant to provide citizens access to information under the control of public authorities, in order to promote transparency and accountability in the working of every public authority. Cumulatively, the note sheet reflects the mind of government, bares the intention of an individual officer and whether his advice and consent were grounded on established rules. Hence they are the heart and soul of the act and in order to achieve the act's legislative intent, it is imperative that the file notings be under the purview of the act.

The preamble of the Act states democracy requires an informed citizenry and transparency of information which are vital to its functioning. For the Indian citizen, it is the process of decision-making that is of crucial importance. It cannot be appropriate for public servants making decisions and giving advice on issues of public concern to be permitted to make notings they are unable to stand by and defend openly. The citizens of the world's biggest democracy are entitled to know what advice and information the Government bases its decisions on and how the Government reaches its conclusions. The government cannot pull back the iron curtain between the administration and the public that act lifted on October 12, 2005.

The Act also aims to contain corruption and to hold Governments and their instrumentalities accountable to the governed. It would be impossible to enforce accountability if the file notings is kept away from public view. The citizens cannot be expected to assign responsibility without being told "who did it". More importantly the proposed amendments will permanently shield the bureaucracy from accountability, the disinfectant power of transparency and allow them to function in an arbitrary manner. The act that was meant was to contain corruption will become a shield of the corrupt and allow corruption and the arbitrary exercise of power to thrive unchecked.

The Act has sufficient provisions that enable RTI commissioners to withhold any information if it can impact national interest, or is forbidden by any court or tribunal, or constitutes trade secrets or intellectual property where disclosure would harm competitive position, or endangers life or physical safety or identifies confidential source of information or assistance, or impedes the process of investigation or apprehension. Hence the United Progressive Alliance government's move to further restrict information is not only regressive but totally unwarranted.

Even at this late juncture, we hope that you will accept our appeal as concerned citizens, and not be misguided by the champions of babudom. We look up to you to lead the nation to a transparent, accountable, corruption free era of governance, an era which will truly fulfill the hopes of the founding fathers of our Republic.

Sincerely,

Concerned Members of:

1) Association for India's Development

2) Praja-Net

3) Asha for Education - Los Angeles chapter

4) Asha for Education - MIT/Boston chapter

5) Asha for Education - Washington DC chapter

6) India Friends Association

7) National Institutes of Health Indian Association

This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it with the name, address and contact information of your organization and we shall include your group/association/network as an organization endorser of the above letter.