How many Indians, for instance, are aware of the details of field trials being conducted on genetically modified foods in India? This is no longer food that will be consumed by cattle but brinjal and other foods that will be directly consumed by humans. The change in the genetic pool has the potential to change plant, animal, and human life forever. In fact, it is time that some of the holy cows were also analysed. Transparency in the armed forces and many Defence Ministry matters including arms contracts will lead to stronger, better equipped, and more accountable armed forces.

Whatever the ideological positions or arguments about privatization might be, a full presentation of facts and vigorous public debate can only lead to better decisions. Even the issue of access to answer sheets of examinations, and interview boards reportedly raised by the UPSC needs to be revisited. Marks themselves are a transparency measure. There is no reason why we cannot try and use transparency to improve the fairness of the selection and grading system. Even as this is being written the Central Information Commission is hearing an appeal related to the disclosure of what the President of India wrote to the Prime Minister during the Gujarat carnage. Would it not make for a better democracy if we knew of the concerns of the President of India during one of our darkest moments?

Finally, even if there were any areas that were found to have caused undue concern and put fundamental principles at stake, they could easily have been dealt with by the existing exemptions under Section 8 of the Act, or by adding a particular kind of information to Section 8. Barring file notings is not barring a kind of information — it is barring information itself. And this move is nothing short of subterfuge against the Act.

... contd.