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15 Oct, 2015

Indian activists to boycott RTI conclave to protest govt security curbs – Hindustan Times

New Delhi – Prominent RTI activists, including Magsaysay award winner Aruna Roy, will boycott the transparency law’s 10th anniversary celebrations to be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, terming security restrictions on civil society members as an attempt to muzzle dissenting voices.

The boycott of the high-profile function came amidst growing nationwide outrage against what is being described as rising religious intolerance and attack on free-thinkers, attributed to hardline Hindu groups. More than 30 authors have also announced their decision to return the Sahitya Akademi and Padma Shri awards in protest, dismissed by Union finance minister Arun Jaitley as “manufactured paper rebellion”.

Roy, who played in crucial role in framing the RTI law, said the Central Information Commission (CIC) not only restricted entry of activists to only seven from Delhi but also asked the Intelligence Bureau to carry out a background check on their parents and political ideologies.

Read the rest: Activists to boycott RTI conclave to protest govt security curbs | india | Hindustan Times