Pune: A day after the Lok Sabha passed amendments to the Right to Information (RTI) Act, social activist Anna Hazare on Tuesday accused the Union government of betraying Indian citizens through the move.

On Monday, the Lok Sabha amended the RTI Act that allowed the Centre to prescribe the term of office, salaries, allowances and other terms and conditions.

It also changes the status of the Information Commissioners, who were on a par with Election Commissioners as per the original RTI Act.

"India got the RTI Act in 2005 but with this amendment in the RTI Act, the government is betraying the people of the this country," he said.

Hazare, 82, said his health is not in a good condition but if people of the country take to the streets to safeguard the sanctity of the RTI Act, he would be ready to join them.

Hazare, whose movement prompted the then Maharashtra government to enact a revised Maharashtra Right to Information Act which was considered as the base document for the Right to Information Act 2005, was speaking to reporters at his village Ralegan Siddhi in Ahmednagar district.

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New Delhi: Kanimozhi Karunanidhi has written to the Lok Sabha Speaker seeking a separate seating arrangement for Members of Parliament belonging to the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) following the end of the party’s alliance with the Indian National Congress.

In a letter dated May 7 addressed to the Speaker of the Lok Sabha, Kanimozhi said the changed political situation made it inappropriate for DMK MPs to continue sitting alongside Congress members in the House.

She requested the Speaker to make “suitable changes” in the seating arrangement of the DMK Parliamentary Party and allot separate seating for its MPs.

“In view of the changed political circumstances and as our alliance with the Indian National Congress has come to an end, it may not be appropriate for our Members to continue occupying the present seating arrangement alongside them in the House,” the letter stated.

Kanimozhi further said separate seating would help DMK members effectively discharge their responsibilities in the Lok Sabha.