Should RTI act be expanded to cover Private Businesses also?

It’s been a long going debate on “should the private enterprises be made liable to answering public queries?” Many countrymen support it stating that they have a right to know and claim the simple reason that these enterprises are based on our soil, but thinking rationally is it morally right to interfere in the matters of a corporate as they have earned everything they own righteously and through fair practices under the close vigil of law. They provided us services for which we paid them and we were never forced to use to their products (as we are forced to pay taxes to the Government for just providing a civil framework by providing services like police, ambulance etc though we may hire our security agency & private medical assistance in case of emergency). So do we earn the right to question them and seek information with authority? We hold no such right until and unless we are an investor or part of the organization. The right of disclosing information should totally reside with the enterprise as the consumer is in no way being compelled to buy their product and in a regulated economy where enterprises are already subjected to various conditions, guidelines and inspections, our right to further questioning is too invasive.

In no way I endorse the idea that RTI act should be subjected to private enterprises but this doesn’t mean that I am totally against the notion. From my perspective some enterprises involved in various key commodities/services need to be opened up for public questioning like the medical sector consisting of pharmaceutical industries, hospitals and private clinics so as the patients may know about the various pharmaceutical companies that their doctor is receiving favors of, so they may be in a position to judge if any malpractice is in subject.  Since application of RTI act on a sector can solve problems of a section of social needs, hence by bringing all the enterprises under this law, complete transparency can be maintained in the private sector as well.

RTI act has empowered the countrymen and got the evil corruption out of many public offices. It has instilled morality among the bureaucrats as they now are vulnerable to public questions with a liability to answer. In a very short span it has worked wonders and its extension to Private businesses will be a good idea to experiment on.