Video: At 80, veteran RTI activist Aruna Roy finds hope in fighting the ‘little battles’

The Right to Information Act has been hollowed out by Indian governments over the years – most recently by way of amendments to the law through the Digital Personal Data Protection Act.

Transparency activists and legal experts have warned that India’s new Digital Personal Data Protection Act bars the disclosure of personal information about public officials even on the grounds of larger public interest.

The RTI is a very, very strong weapon, said veteran activist and retired bureaucrat Aruna Roy, who led the movement that resulted in the passage of the Right to Information Act in 2005. “And it’s this fear of the weapon that makes them all want to destroy the RTI.”

In this special episode with author and peace worker Harsh Mander, recorded in Tillonia village in Rajasthan, days before Roy’s 80th birthday on June 26, she reflects on the many struggles that shaped her life. They discuss the challenges before Indian democracy, and the moral and political crises India faces today.

In their conversation, they talk about the legacy of the RTI movement and how it transformed the relationship between the citizen and...

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