The Congress accused the Modi government of weakening the Right to Information (RTI) Act through the new data protection law. Party leaders vowed to fight against what they called a \u201cdictatorial\u201d regime to protect citizens\u2019 rights.<\/p>\n

Congress focused on the conflict between the Right to Privacy and the Right to Information. Leaders argued that the law could hide crucial data on public welfare schemes and financial defaulters. Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge slammed the government on X, claiming it was eroding transparency.<\/p>\n

\u201cIndia ranks high in misinformation and disinformation. Instead of ensuring transparency, the Modi government is weakening the RTI Act introduced by Congress-UPA through this law,\u201d Kharge wrote.<\/p>\n

He emphasized that details on ration card holders, MGNREGA beneficiaries, public welfare scheme participants, voter lists, and scamsters fleeing with bank loans must remain public. \u201cCongress\u2019 RTI Act balanced privacy and transparency. It never intended to hide fraudsters\u2019 names,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Kharge accused the Modi government of using data protection as an excuse to restrict access to critical information. \u201cCongress will not let RTI weaken. We raised our voice before, and we will continue to fight from the streets to Parliament,\u201d he declared.<\/p>\n

Congress introduced the RTI Act in 2005 under the UPA government, granting citizens access to government records. The new Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023, has raised concerns about limiting public access to such information.<\/p>\n

The government insists the law protects personal privacy, citing the Supreme Court\u2019s 2017 ruling in Justice KS Puttaswamy (Retd.) vs. Union of India, which recognized privacy as a fundamental right. However, critics argue the law prioritizes secrecy over transparency, fueling fears of reduced government accountability.<\/p>\n