Changes in RTI act will make it useless, must be opposed: Rahul Gandhi

According to the proposed amendment, the salaries, allowances and other terms and conditions of service of the CIC and ICs "shall be such as may be prescribed by the central government".

New Delhi, July 19: With the Centre set to table the bill to amend the Right to Information (RTI) Act in Parliament, Congress president Rahul Gandhi took to Twitter and said that such a change " must be opposed by every Indian".

According to the proposed amendment, the salaries, allowances and other terms and conditions of service of the CIC and ICs "shall be such as may be prescribed by the central government". The tenure of information commissioners at the centre and the states is proposed to be amended from "a term of five years" to "terms as may be prescribed by the central government".

"Every Indian has the right to know the truth. The BJP believes the truth must be hidden from the people and they must not question people in power. The changes proposed to the RTI will make it a useless Act. They must be opposed by every Indian,"

Leaders of different political parties committed to fight any "attempt" by the Centre to "dilute" the Right To Information (RTI) Act and oppose any amendments to it.

Senior CPI(M) leader Sitaram Yechuri said the RTI Act came into existence from people's struggle and the party would work within Parliament and outside it to ensure that no amendment was made to it.

He was addressing a meeting organised by the National Campaign for Peoples' Right to Information(NCPRI).