Congress Leaders, Activists Condemn Dilation of RTI Act Through Data Protection Law

Congress leaders and activists have raised concerns over the alleged weakening of the Right to Information (RTI) Act due to the newly enacted Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) law. They argue that the new law puts excessive restrictions on transparency and limits citizens’ access to crucial government data.

Concerns Over Transparency

Activists say the DPDP Act undermines the fundamental right to information by raising the number of exemptions for government departments. Government departments, under the new legislation, can deny RTI requests citing data protection clauses, which will be misused to withhold critical information on public policy, corruption, and governance, critics say.

Congress leader Jairam Ramesh declared, “This is a brazen attack on transparency and accountability. The RTI Act had empowered citizens, and now it is being gradually dismantled in the name of data protection.”

Activists Demand Revisions

Transparency campaigners worry that the DPDP legislation adds more bureaucratic hurdles to gaining information and facilitates officials in evading accountability. RTI activist Anjali Bhardwaj called for immediate amendments to avert dilution of the RTI Act. “We are seeing a steady erosion of democratic rights. The government must ensure that data protection is not being employed as a tool to limit transparency,” she said.

Government’s Rationale

The government, however, asserts that the DPDP Act is necessary for protecting personal information and is in accordance with global privacy standards. The authorities feel that the RTI Act itself is not chopped, and sensitive personal information only will be exempted under the new regime.

As resistance grows, activists and politicians plan to challenge the provisions that they perceive watering down the RTI Act, trying to strike a balance between privacy and public accountability.