Dear Madam, 

I am deeply concerned to learn that the Cabinet has approved an amendment to exempt file notings and cabinet papers from disclosure under the Right to Information Act (RTI) 2005.

Late last year, the entire country was mourning the death of Manjunath and with him the dreams of more than a billion people to have a corrupt free country. Your pro-active role, as the chairman of the National Advisory Council (NAC), in initiating and pushing for the introduction of the landmark Right to Information Act, after consultations with the progressive grassroots groups, was a highly laudable effort. It came as a great relief to the citizens as a channel had been established through which people involved in making decisions that changes people's lives can be held accountable for the same.

The latest amendment introduced in the Parliament would render the act toothless. It would prevent people from knowing the parties responsible for decisions of far reaching consequences to their lives. It would let corrupt officials go scot free because nobody would know "who did it". It also has the potential of killing the spirits of honest forthright officials who unknowingly/unwantedly can be party to a wrong decision.

More importantly it raises the possibility of more Dubeys and Manjunaths being brutally murdered in the future. I sincerely urge you to save people's lives, and show respect for those who lost their lives due to corruption, by not tampering with the Right to Information Act 2005.