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

Saturday, September 18, 2010

549 - Caste among equals -

September 16th, 2010
DC Correspondent

Caste chieftains will divide, rule
M.K. Pandhe
 
The question of caste census has arisen on account of the government’s reservation policy. The other backward classes (OBCs) have of late been provided with job reservations in the government and the public sector. The question then confronted by the establishment was determining the basis on which OBC quotas could be fixed. Some political parties demanded caste enumeration while conducting the census. The government took some time before deciding the question because, during the freedom movement, the Congress Party had opposed census on the basis of caste. It is surprising that the party’s government, which owes allegiance to Mahatma Gandhi and Pandit Nehru, has succumbed to the pressure and cleared a caste census.
 
In 1930 the British colonial government decided not to conduct a caste-based census under pressure from the leaders of the freedom struggle who were against the caste system. I feel that there can be no justification for the government to succumb to the pressure of a few obscurantist forces and accept the concept of caste census.
 
To my mind, if at all the government finds it necessary to quantify the percentage of OBCs in the population, a special mechanism could be found for this purpose. But tying it with the Census would amount to according perpetual recognition to the oppressive caste system. In modern society, industry is totally de-linked with the caste system. The government of India’s step will only strengthen the hands of the obscurantist elements who want to keep society perpetually divided so that they may sustain their leadership. Mostly they are proclaimed caste chieftains. In India caste has always been an instrument of exploitation by putting certain groups of people in a perpetually disadvantageous position. The syndrome has led to tension in the society. Instead of counting people according to their caste, it would have served people better if attempts were made to reform society by introducing innovative tools other than reservation to negate exploitation. I think it is high time the government reviewed the existing situation, as well as its decision on caste census. I would prefer to see that it does not fall victim to the forces of backwardness who want to use caste loyalties as a weapon with which to draw political mileage in the present electoral system.
— Dr M.K. Pandhe, 
CPI(M) politburo member and CITU president
__________________________________________

It’ll help centre in welfare plans
Jayant Choudhary
 
Caste cannot be wished away in India. To say that caste census will help politicians, and not the people, may not necessarily be true. Caste census is about getting the numbers right to deliver welfare measures to the people in a targeted manner that is result- oriented.
 
The exercise will provide information about castes that are not getting benefits meant for them and help to bring them into the ambit of government schemes.
 
There is a system of reservation in this country, in government jobs and educational institutions. In reality, however, there are a number of castes which may deserve to qualify for reservation but are out of its purview.
 
Some castes are scattered across districts in a state but do not add up to a large number in that state, and are thus deprived of reservation benefits in the state. How does the government do justice to the concept of equality among castes if not by finding their demographic status? Lots of oppression is still taking place at various levels in the country. How to deal with such social issues?
 
There is quota for scheduled castes and tribes, along with those of other backward classes (OBCs) in government jobs. If quota benefits are extended to the private sector, what will be the basis? The caste census will throw up the numbers to explain the level of employment of people of various castes in the private sector.
 
Many castes don’t have the numbers to raise their voice in an effective manner. Are they getting quota benefits? Caste census will give the answer. It’s also important to know if the numbers support the government’s claims on benefits to particular castes. The database will give government the flexibility to widen the scope of its welfare measures. An example helps us here: We have the public distribution system (PDS). Now that the focus of the government is on “targeted” PDS, how do you target the needy if you do not have the numbers?
 
Another example — the government is giving subsidy on fertilisers. Even there the need is for a targeted approach. The unique identity database (UID), which is on the anvil, will be of help here.
 
The caste census is in a similar category. It will help the people.
 
(As told to Manish Anand)
— Jayant Choudhary, 
MP from Mathura, Rashtriya Lok Dal
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