WON'T LET RTI FADE!! Kharge Slams Modi Govt for Weakening RTI Under Data Protection Guise

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge today accused the Modi government of undermining the Right to Information (RTI) Act under the pretext of data protection, vowing that his party would resist this “dictatorial” move from the streets to Parliament. In a fiery Hindi post on X at 12:32 PM IST, Kharge claimed the government is eroding a key transparency tool enacted by the Congress-UPA, aligning his critique with India’s persistent struggle against misinformation.

Kharge argued that the RTI Act, a hallmark of public accountability, is being diluted by the Modi government’s Data Protection law. He highlighted its importance in revealing critical public data—ration card lists, MGNREGA beneficiaries, voter rolls, and names of scam-tainted billionaires who fled after defaulting on bank loans. “Such names must remain in the public domain,” he asserted, warning that the new law threatens to shroud them in secrecy. This, he said, strikes at the heart of democratic transparency.

While acknowledging the Right to Privacy as a fundamental right—championed by Congress—Kharge stressed that it shouldn’t shield public welfare details or protect wrongdoers. He noted that the original RTI Act balanced privacy and disclosure, but claimed the Modi regime is tipping the scales to hide accountability.

The Congress chief’s attack comes amid broader concerns about governance opacity. With India topping global misinformation charts, Kharge framed the RTI’s weakening as a double blow to citizens’ rights. “We will not let RTI fade,” he declared, promising sustained protests and parliamentary battles against what he calls a dictatorial government. Kharge’s remarks have ignited debate on X, with supporters rallying behind his call for transparency and critics questioning Congress’s own RTI legacy.