Thread by @chitti_1729

We are now live with @shaileshgan and Ms #ArunaRoy in our first, "Conversations on RTI"

Join now using the link: us06web.zoom.us/meeting/regist…

Or watch live on youtube.com/moneylifetv/vi…

@suchetadalal @Moneylifers @yogtoday @d_s_thakur @VinitaDeshmukh

Fascinating story of how the act came into existence!!

The struggle for transparency did not end in 2005, it's an ongoing battle.

@suchetadalal @Moneylifers @yogtoday @shaileshgan

File nothings are a standard when people file RTIs but just got to know bureaucrats were dead paranoid, against this move and wanted to keep "file nothings" under exemptions.

Just imagine what would have happened if they had succeeded!!

@suchetadalal @yogtoday @MoneylifeF

"The Indian RTI is one of the best act because there is a penalty clause" - #ArunaRoy

@suchetadalal @yogtoday @MoneylifeF

#RTIConversations

"You are the greatest Gaddars of IAS because you brought in the RTI act"

This is what Ms #ArunaRoy was told when she went back to the IAS academy!!

@suchetadalal @yogtoday @d_s_thakur @VinitaDeshmukh

"While RTI falls under Article 19(a) like freedom of speech and expression, why is there a resistance only when it come to expanding RTI??" asks Mr @shaileshgan

@suchetadalal @yogtoday @VinitaDeshmukh

"what RTI has done is it has unpacked the centres of power. There are people who don't know #ArunaRoy or @shaileshgan, or even the RTI movement but are using the act with great success!" -#ArunaRoy

@suchetadalal @MoneylifeF @yogtoday @d_s_thakur

"It was a transformative law that made every other law possible. RTI is like water by & itself it's nothing. You have to apply it to something, human rights and others. It's then that it takes power it flowers and goes to fruition." #ArunaRoy

@suchetadalal @MoneylifeF @yogtoday

The Rajasthan Jan Soochna portal has been a huge success. More than 50 depts on the Jan soochna portal. 7 crore people downloaded data from it. 10 crore people accessed it online.

This is something that should happen nationwide!!

@suchetadalal @d_s_thakur @yogtoday @MoneylifeF

"The only way to reduce RTI usage is to automatically make the information public so people don't spend too much time filing RTI"

This is something section4 envisioned but hardly any movement in that front.

@suchetadalal @yogtoday @ShrikrishnaSays @MoneylifeF @d_s_thakur

"It's been 16 years since the RTI act came into existence. What has been your dream??" - @shaileshgan

@suchetadalal @yogtoday @d_s_thakur @MoneylifeF

Aruna ma'am's response "What we have managed to do in the course of this journey of the RTI Act, almost seems like a dream now. I never imagined it would reach such levels. I always felt the govt was antagonistic"

....It's simply amazing that we got the RTI Act enacted and achieved so much".

@MoneylifeF @suchetadalal @yogtoday

"Hum sochte hay soochna ka adhikar nahi milega toh hum kya karenge, aap sochte hay soochna ka adhikar milega toh kya aapka kursi rahega?? Lekin soochna ye hay, ki kya ye desh ka bhala Hoga??" - a famous line from Laal Singh ji who has been part of the #RTImovement

@suchetadalal

This has been one of the most invigorating conversations I have ever been part of. A must attend for everyone who cares about our democracy

In case you missed it, fret not we have the recording here:

@suchetadalal @yogtoday @MoneylifeF

And we @MoneylifeF have some really great people who have agreed to be a part of #RTIConversations lined up for you in the coming days.

So stay tuned and become a member to get regular updates! mlfoundation.in/register.html

@suchetadalal @Moneylifers @yogtoday @d_s_thakur