| Staff REPORTER |
ITANAGAR, Oct 12: The Arunachal Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) has called for the full implementation of the Right to Information (RTI) Act and the Whistle Blowers Protection Act to strengthen transparency, accountability, and good governance both in the state and across the country.
Addressing reporters at the Arunachal Press Club here, APCC vice president Abraham K Techi said the nation is observing 20 years of the RTI Act, which was enacted in 2005 under the UPA government led by Dr Manmohan Singh. He said the RTI has empowered citizens—especially the poor and marginalized—to claim their rightful entitlements, such as ration, pensions, wages, and scholarships.
However, Techi expressed concern that the law has been “consistently eroded” in recent years, alleging that amendments made in 2019 and provisions under the Digital Personal Data Protection Act have weakened the RTI framework and reduced transparency. He also condemned the harassment and threats faced by RTI activists in various parts of the country.
APCC spokesperson Chera Taya said the situation in Arunachal Pradesh mirrors national trends, with the State Information Commission remaining largely inactive. Referring to the Whistle Blowers Protection Act, he remembered Late Gyamar Padang for his courageous exposure of irregularities in the APPSC examination, urging the government to implement the Act in letter and spirit.
The APCC reiterated its demand to restore the autonomy of information commissions, fill existing vacancies through transparent procedures, and fully enforce the Whistle Blowers Protection Act to safeguard those who expose corruption.