Right To Information (RTI) activists camping in Delhi for the last 11 days, protesting the bid by the government to bring about an amendment to the RTI Act (which would bring only those “file notings” under public scrutiny that deal with social or developmental plans) said they were enthused about reports (published in this newspaper on August 18) regarding the UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi’s quiet intervention in the matter.

The Indian Express reported yesterday that after Sonia expressed her reservations, the amendment Bill was not being brought in for the time being. “We are excited but wary. The government has given us no assurance that they will abandon the amendment. Our mobilisation against the amendment will continue till we know for sure that they have changed their mind,” says Nikhil Dey of the Mazdoor Kisan Sangharsh Samiti.

Dey and Magsaysay Award winner Arvind Kejriwal are among the four activists who met Minister of State for Personnel Suresh Pachauri. They say that while there was no assurance from the minister but they were given a patient hearing, and they have given him their objections to the amendment in writing.

The minister also told the activists on phone that their objections would now be dealt directly by the PM, who also happens to have the portfolio of DoPT under him. Pachauri would consult the PM and the UPA chairperson and then decide on the next step.

Campaigners for the inclusion of “file noting”’ have launched another set of protests from today — “balloting’ popular opinion on the matter by getting citizens from states like Rajasthan, Gujarat, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh etc.

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