29 lakh fake ration cards seized last year
Clara Lewis, TNN, Feb 8, 2010, 03.53am IST
MUMBAI: The state government last year weeded out 29 lakh bogus ration cards across Maharashtra, according to information obtained under the Right to Information (RTI) Act. The highest number of bogus rations cards were found in Mumbai (6.5 lakh), followed by Pune (3 lakh), Nashik 1.5 lakh, Nagpur and Ahmednagar 1.1 lakh respectively.
Following the huge number of bogus ration cards, the Election Commission had deleted it from the list of proofs that could be submitted to be allowed to vote. But after protests from political parties, it was re-introduced.
Social activist Anil Galgali, who obtained the information, said the numbers showed how easy it was to obtain a ration card with false proof or none at all. “In the Kurla slums on the airport land, there are several touts offering to make pre-dated ration cards so that a person becomes eligible for a free house,’’ he said.
Anil Deshmukh, minister for food and civil supplies, said the scrutiny of ration cards this year is likely to yield another 10 lakh bogus ration cards. “Along with the form that is to be submitted, we ask for the electoral roll number which is unique for every voter, a copy of the electricity bill, house rent bill and income tax receipt. It becomes easy to trace bogus ration card holders,’’ he said.
With the huge number of bogus cards coming to light, the scrutiny will be made an annual feature.
Lack of awareness on the documents required for obtaining a ration card was the key reason why people approach touts, said Vinita Singh of NGO Satark Nagrik Sangathana. Ration card is really a food card but is mixed up as an identity card, said Singh. This was the reason why even those who did not purchase foodgrains from the PDS obtain a ration card. “When there is a government resolution that allows homeless people to have a ration card, why should there be an insistence on proof of residence? The result is that in the slums, a lot of people are forced to approach a tout and hence the high rate of bogus cards. The current going rate for a ration card in the slums is Rs 7,000 to Rs 8,000 per card,’’ she said.
Meanwhile, the state has extended the date for submission of ration cards for scrutiny up to February 15. The scrutiny is being done for below poverty line (yellow card holders) and above poverty line (orange card holders). White card holders or those who do not avail of foodgrains from the PDS have been excluded.
According to the data obtained under RTI, nearly 22 lakh of the 29 lakh bogus cards were from above poverty line category. “We are also planning to introduce the Irish Biometric system, in which a person’s thumbprint is captured as proof for identity,” said Deshmukh.
Why this Blog ? News articles in the Wide World of Web, quite often disappear with time, when they are relocated as archives with a different url. Archives in this blog serve as a library for those who are interested in doing Research on Aadhaar Related Topics. Articles are published with details of original publication date and the url.
In 2009, I became extremely concerned with the concept of Unique Identity for various reasons. Connected with many like minded highly educated people who were all concerned.
On 18th May 2010, I started this Blog to capture anything and everything I came across on the topic. This blog with its million hits is a testament to my concerns about loss of privacy and fear of the ID being misused and possible Criminal activities it could lead to.
In 2017 the Supreme Court of India gave its verdict after one of the longest hearings on any issue. I did my bit and appealed to the Supreme Court Judges too through an On Line Petition.
In 2019 the Aadhaar Legislation has been revised and passed by the two houses of the Parliament of India making it Legal. I am no Legal Eagle so my Opinion carries no weight except with people opposed to the very concept.
In 2019, this Blog now just captures on a Daily Basis list of Articles Published on anything to do with Aadhaar as obtained from Daily Google Searches and nothing more. Cannot burn the midnight candle any longer.
"In Matters of Conscience, the Law of Majority has no place"- Mahatma Gandhi
Ram Krishnaswamy
Sydney, Australia.
Aadhaar
The UIDAI has taken two successive governments in India and the entire world for a ride. It identifies nothing. It is not unique. The entire UID data has never been verified and audited. The UID cannot be used for governance, financial databases or anything. It’s use is the biggest threat to national security since independence. – Anupam Saraph 2018
When I opposed Aadhaar in 2010 , I was called a BJP stooge. In 2016 I am still opposing Aadhaar for the same reasons and I am told I am a Congress die hard. No one wants to see why I oppose Aadhaar as it is too difficult. Plus Aadhaar is FREE so why not get one ? Ram Krishnaswamy
First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win.-Mahatma Gandhi
In matters of conscience, the law of the majority has no place.Mahatma Gandhi
“The invasion of privacy is of no consequence because privacy is not a fundamental right and has no meaning under Article 21. The right to privacy is not a guaranteed under the constitution, because privacy is not a fundamental right.” Article 21 of the Indian constitution refers to the right to life and liberty -Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi
“There is merit in the complaints. You are unwittingly allowing snooping, harassment and commercial exploitation. The information about an individual obtained by the UIDAI while issuing an Aadhaar card shall not be used for any other purpose, save as above, except as may be directed by a court for the purpose of criminal investigation.”-A three judge bench headed by Justice J Chelameswar said in an interim order.
Legal scholar Usha Ramanathan describes UID as an inverse of sunshine laws like the Right to Information. While the RTI makes the state transparent to the citizen, the UID does the inverse: it makes the citizen transparent to the state, she says.
Good idea gone bad
I have written earlier that UID/Aadhaar was a poorly designed, unreliable and expensive solution to the really good idea of providing national identification for over a billion Indians. My petition contends that UID in its current form violates the right to privacy of a citizen, guaranteed under Article 21 of the Constitution. This is because sensitive biometric and demographic information of citizens are with enrolment agencies, registrars and sub-registrars who have no legal liability for any misuse of this data. This petition has opened up the larger discussion on privacy rights for Indians. The current Article 21 interpretation by the Supreme Court was done decades ago, before the advent of internet and today’s technology and all the new privacy challenges that have arisen as a consequence.
Rajeev Chandrasekhar, MP Rajya Sabha
“What is Aadhaar? There is enormous confusion. That Aadhaar will identify people who are entitled for subsidy. No. Aadhaar doesn’t determine who is eligible and who isn’t,” Jairam Ramesh
But Aadhaar has been mythologised during the previous government by its creators into some technology super force that will transform governance in a miraculous manner. I even read an article recently that compared Aadhaar to some revolution and quoted a 1930s historian, Will Durant.Rajeev Chandrasekhar, Rajya Sabha MP
“I know you will say that it is not mandatory. But, it is compulsorily mandatorily voluntary,” Jairam Ramesh, Rajya Saba April 2017.
August 24, 2017: The nine-judge Constitution Bench rules that right to privacy is “intrinsic to life and liberty”and is inherently protected under the various fundamental freedoms enshrined under Part III of the Indian Constitution
"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the World; indeed it's the only thing that ever has"
“Arguing that you don’t care about the right to privacy because you have nothing to hide is no different than saying you don’t care about free speech because you have nothing to say.” -Edward Snowden
In the Supreme Court, Meenakshi Arora, one of the senior counsel in the case, compared it to living under a general, perpetual, nation-wide criminal warrant.
Had never thought of it that way, but living in the Aadhaar universe is like living in a prison. All of us are treated like criminals with barely any rights or recourse and gatekeepers have absolute power on you and your life.
Announcing the launch of the # BreakAadhaarChainscampaign, culminating with events in multiple cities on 12th Jan. This is the last opportunity to make your voice heard before the Supreme Court hearings start on 17th Jan 2018. In collaboration with @no2uidand@rozi_roti.
UIDAI's security seems to be founded on four time tested pillars of security idiocy
1) Denial
2) Issue fiats and point finger
3) Shoot messenger
4) Bury head in sand.
God Save India
