Magsaysay awardee urges Sonia to 'protect' RTI

Rae Bareli, UP, July 28 (UNI) Magsaysay awardee and noted social worker Sandeep Pandey today urged Congress president Sonia Gandhi to ensure the provisions of the Right to Information Act, 2005 (RTI) were not tampered with.

Speaking at a seminar-cum-training camp organised by the Uttar Pradesh Congress Right to Information Task Force here, Mr Pandey observed RTI was a powerful tool in the hands of people to expose corruption and ensure accountability of public servants.

''In my letter to Ms Gandhi, I have urged her to ensure that the proposal to remove notings on files, cabinet papers and answer books of examinations from the ambit of the Act is rejected,'' he claimed.

Rae Bareli is the parliamentary constituency of Ms Gandhi, who is also the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) chairperson.

Mr Pandey informed that dharnas and demonstrations to protest the ''tampering'' of the Act would start in New Delhi from August 1.

''Noted social worker Anna Hazare has threatened to return his Padma Vibhushan, if the Act was tampered with.'' The activist said so far he had obtained income and expenditure details of 30 village panchayats and detected scams worth Rs 3 lakh.

UNI XC VS MIR PM1821