This Article is From Apr 09, 2010

Sonia Gandhi Vs PM over Right to Information Act

New Delhi: Sources tell NDTV that the Prime Minister and Sonia Gandhi have deep differences over the issue of how to improve India's landmark Right to Information (RTI) Act.

NDTV has exclusive access to letters exchanged between Dr Manmohan Singh and Sonia Gandhi.  

The Prime Minister feels the act needs to actually be amended to solve existing problems within the act. Gandhi, however, wants the original version to be strengthened. RTI activists have the same opinion as Gandhi: that any tweaking of the Act could mistakenly indicate that there is a will to dilute it.

Gandhi says in a letter sent to the PM in November 2009 that "not enough is being done to build awareness and publicise the Act." At this point, she suggests, changing the Act would weaken it.  

The RTI allows citizens to petition government offices to obtain copies of documents or any information that is in the public domain.
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