India, Oct. 12 -- The 20th anniversary of the Right to Information (RTI) Act should have been an occasion to reaffirm India's commitment to transparency and democratic accountability. Tragically, under the current government, the RTI Act, a once vibrant weapon for citizens, lies battered, diminished, and perilously close to obsolescence.

The RTI Act, passed by the UPA government in 2005, marked a watershed moment in India's democratic evolution. The genesis and passage of this Act bear the definitive imprint of Sonia Gandhi and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. Under the UPA government led by Manmohan Singh, with vital backing from Sonia Gandhi's National Advisory Council, the RTI Act was swiftly introduced and enacted, fulfilling a long-st...