Anna Hazare announces indefinite hunger strike over RTI rule changes
Social activist Anna Hazare has declared that he will begin an indefinite hunger strike from July 5 if the central government does not revoke the recent amendments to the Right to Information (RTI) Rules. Hazare made the announcement on Tuesday, accusing the government of bringing in the changes without any public consultation.
Amendments criticized as anti-transparency
Speaking to reporters in his native village of Ralegan Siddhi in Maharashtra, Hazare said, 'Making the process more technical, costly and administration-centric will reduce transparency.' He argued that the amendments are designed to weaken the RTI Act, which has been a crucial tool for citizens to hold authorities accountable.
The activist claimed that the new rules impose additional fees and procedural hurdles, making it harder for common people to file RTI applications. He also noted that the changes were pushed through without seeking feedback from civil society or stakeholders.
Call for revocation before July 5 deadline
Hazare's hunger strike is set to commence on July 5 unless the government withdraws the amendments. He has urged citizens and RTI activists across the country to support his protest. 'We will not back down until the rules are scrapped and the original spirit of the RTI Act is restored,' he asserted.
The activist's announcement comes amid growing concerns among transparency advocates that the amendments could cripple the RTI mechanism. Several organizations have already filed petitions against the changes in the Supreme Court.
Background of RTI amendments
The central government introduced the RTI (Amendment) Rules, 2026 earlier this year, which among other things, increased the application fee and allowed for longer response times. Critics argue that these changes violate the core principles of the RTI Act, which was enacted in 2005 to promote transparency and accountability.
Hazare, who played a key role in the anti-corruption movement, has been a vocal critic of the amendments. He has previously led several hunger strikes for social causes, including the landmark 2011 agitation for the Jan Lokpal Bill.
