Fence-sitters in Opposition aiding NDA Govt. to pass Controversial Bills: SDPI

New Delhi:The Social Democratic Party of India, (SDPI), is intrigued at the way the ruling NDA Govt. is getting bills steam-rolled post-haste in Parliament with brute majority in Lok Sabha while manipulating the  fence-sitting  Opposition members in Rajya Sabha. After NIA and UAPA Amendment Bills were bulldozed earlier in the week with feeble resistance from Opposition parties now RTI Amendment Bill was passed on July 25th, 2019 in Rajya Sabha to water down its effectiveness.

SDPI national president M. K. Faizy in a statement said that politics in the country has become slap-stick comedy of sorts. It’s surprising that BJD has agreed to support the RTI Amendment Bill. It is least surprising that TRS is susceptible to changes in its postures and stances

Faizy said it sad that politicians have become turn- coats bereft of principles. The amendments in the RTI act are intended to make the CIC a puppet in the hands of bigwigs in the PMO as happened in the case Election Commission. Can BJD, TRS etc. justify their volte face over the issue?

He said that stranglehold over the autonomous bodies is the hallmark of the implicit totalitarian nature of a regime. It is a planned murder of democracy with the help of parties like BJD and TRS.

The statement adds: “The latest amendment to the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA), with the simultaneous dilution of the Right to Information Act, spells danger to democracy. The right to dissent is a fundamental democratic right, but this right has been diluted by allowing the a central agency to decide who is a terrorist and who is not”.

Terror laws like TADA and POTA were allowed to pass as they were used against religious minorities, tribes and Dalits.There is no reason why the amended UAPA will also not be misused, the statement added.