New Delhi, February 22 The Congress announced new initiatives on Sunday, including setting up rapid legal response teams at the state and district levels, and raising its voice to reclaim the original RTI Act, as part of efforts to encourage the involvement of young people with the party.
Unveiling four such programs, Congress treasurer Ajay Maken and senior spokesperson Abhishek Singhvi said that young minds would help provide legal aid at the grassroots level whenever needed and strengthen the party's voice to save democracy in the country.
Singhvi said that the AICC Law, Human Rights, and RTI Department's new initiatives would further engage with young lawyers to revitalize existing legal networks and to provide a platform for those speaking out against the dilution of the landmark Right to Information Act, which, he alleged, is being "eroded, piece by piece, by this regime."
The first such initiative is a Congress legal fellows program, which would help bring young lawyers into the party's mainstream by giving them a key role in the law-making process, he said.
Singhvi said that this three-month fellowship, details of which will be available on the AICC social media pages, would select 10 young lawyers to assist parliamentarians in their daily work. He said the aim is to give the next generation of Congress members the opportunity to understand the opposition's role in Parliament.
He said that the Department will start a podcast series: 'Nyaya Neta aur Nagrik' (Justice Leader and Citizen), designed to provide a platform not just for legal luminaries and senior advocates, but also for young and aspiring lawyers to share their views on various societal and legal issues.
"In an era where dissent is often dismissed, 'Nyaya Neta aur Nagrik' seeks to restore reasoned constitutional dialogue, placing law and citizens at the center of governance, something that is seen to be diminishing under the current regime," Singhvi said.
"The podcast series will be launched with a minimum of 10 episodes, and I have the privilege of being featured in the inaugural episode as the Chairman of the AICC Law Department, which will be released very soon," Singhvi said.
Besides this, the party would also start a rapid response force that would provide legal aid to the party and its leaders at the grassroots level.
Noting that this is a project close to his heart, Singhvi said, "We are preparing a database of lawyers, with the sole guiding mantra: 5 lawyers in every district should be available to provide legal support to any leader of the party who needs it."
He said that this program seeks to particularly provide active legal support to local leaders present at the ground level who are susceptible to threats and intimidation.
"To this end, we are now preparing a digital directory of the names already received from various states, and we will entrust responsibilities to members of the Rapid Response Force accordingly," he said.
To "reclaim" the Right to Information Act (RTI), which has been "weakened" by the present dispensation, the party would engage with young minds through a national conclave to help strengthen its voice in this regard, the Congress leader said.
The RTI Act, 2005, which was once regarded as a transformative instrument empowering citizens to hold public authorities accountable, has faced sustained dilution and administrative weakening over the years, he alleged.
"At a time when transparency in governance is more critical than ever, the party believes it is imperative to initiate a structured national conversation on restoring the Act's original spirit and strength," he said.
It will bring together leading voices from across the country, including former Information Commissioners, jurists, civil society leaders, RTI activists, journalists, and policy experts.
The objective is to undertake a rigorous assessment of the present state of the RTI framework, identify institutional and legislative gaps, and develop actionable recommendations to strengthen the law, the Congress leader said.
Singhvi said that the conclave will culminate in the preparation of a comprehensive report outlining findings and recommendations. This report will be released to the public and shared widely with stakeholders, legislators, and citizens.