Advani criticises PM's statement on RTI Act

Observing that the RTI Act is an effective device for making governance transparent, Bharatiya Janata Party leader L K Advani on Saturday criticised Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's statement favouring a "critical look" at the law and said his party was opposed to any such move.

Advani said that only some time back, the government had showered praise on the RTI Act, saying it had brought transparency.

"My party is opposed to any reviewing of the RTI Act because I do believe that it is an effective device for making government transparent," he told reporters here.

He said the prime minister had made his comments at a time when nobody was complaining about the RTI Act.

Criticising the government, the BJP leader said he had "never seen a government more corrupt and more dysfunctional and paralysed than this government."

Advani also said that he "liked the fact that Anna Hazare had contradicted Prashant Bhushan's comments," on Kashmir.

The BJP leader said he had not mentioned it earlier as he did not want anyone to interpret that he was happy at any sign of dissension in Team Anna.

About allegations against his own party-men of distributing money to reporters, Advani said once the allegations were brought to his notice, "I immediately spoke to the state president (and asked) what is this. A question has been raised to me about corruption and action has been taken."