Not Set/ RTI – a tactical retreat by the government

Yesterday the government responded to rising anger and decided not to move the infamous amendment to the RTI Act – ‘for now’. The victory that activists are celebrating is misplaced given that the Evil Empire has only slunk away to recover; but the moment is nevertheless a watershed in India’s public life because of the way people organised themselves at home and abroad, marshalled technology to raise the decibel level, enthused RTI pioneers to lead on and finally humbled a sneaky state. The issue at hand was the attempt to emasculate the young RTI Act, already…