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

Monday, March 19, 2012

2457 - Press Release - National ‘Jan Sansad’ to start from 19th March in New Delhi


National ‘Jan Sansad’ to start from 19th March in New Delhi

People’s parliament will be a true alternative political forum, says Medha Patkar

Press Release                                                                                                          
18 March 2012


New Delhi: What does a truly democratic People’s Parliament mean? Who are the representatives of the people? The Rashtriya Jan Sansad organised by National Alliance of People’s Movements seeks to discuss pertinent questions of parliamentary democracy. People from different geographical locations, struggles, organizations and sectors will be present in this parliamentary process in Delhi between 19 and 23 March 2012 as ‘Jan Saansads’ to make the voice of democracy resonate through the streets of national capital and across the country. It aims that the voices of the marginalized communities be brought to the centre from the peripheries of society.

Elaborating on the Jan Sansad initiative, Medha Patkar on behalf of the organising committee said: “We are not against the Indian Parliament, this is an effort at pointing to the loopholes and contradictions in the democratic process we follow. We live in times where rampant displacement, eviction, corruption, deplorable working conditions, denial of basic rights such as food, water, housing and education have become commonplace. Struggles around the country have been working independently to restore and redefine democracy. Jan Sansad is an attempt at articulating our diverse voices and struggles through a single platform and a common national agenda. In a world where the State is increasingly becoming oppressive and militarized, the need of the hour is to make the non violent struggles of our people’s movements be heard without clamping down on them. Whether it is in Govindpur, Niyamgiri, Singur, Nandigram, Bhopal, Plachimada, Chengara, Muthanga, Koodankulam, Jaitapur, Narmada valley, Delhi Mumbai Industrial Corridor, Lavasa, Bhuvan Valley Tea Estate in Assam, urban slums in Bombay or Ranchi or Bokaro or Chennai, streets of Kolkatta or Palval or Allahabad, the clear nexus between national and multinational corporations and the government allows for indiscriminate plundering of our natural resources thereby denying the local community their rights.”

Jan Sansad is being planned over five days –
·     19 March - Jan Saansads to visit Kanjahwala, where a farmer’s struggle by Bhumi Bachao Andolan and Jan Sangharsh Vahini. has been going on for the last 4 years
·     20 to 22 March - Sessions at Rajendra Bhavan,Deen Dayal, Upadyay Marg,I.T.O
·     23 March - From Bhagatsingh park [10 am onwards] to Sansad Marg [in Jantar Mantar]
      Public meeting of Jan Sansad to discuss and endorse the outcome of Jan Sansad.

The framework for debates and discussions within the Jan Sansad include Community Rights over Land, Water, Forest, Minerals and Right to Development Planning, Growing Inequality : Unprotected / Unorganised Sector Workers and Labour Issues, Agrarian Crisis and Food Security, Assertion of People's Politics, Sovereignty, Democratic Governance and Electoral Reforms, Fighting Corporate Corruption : Laws and Challenges and A People's Budget : Alternative Visions and Paradigm

Organisers hoped that this People’s Parliament will go a long way to bring representation to people’s issues in the national agenda. It was also mentioned that the resolutions and the people’s budget passed in the Jan Sansad will be sent to government and members of elected Parliament.

National Alliance of Peoples’ Movement     
For more details contact 9868165471/  9212587159

Regards,

Vijayan MJ
Delhi Forum
F-10/12 (GF), Malviya Nagar,
New Delhi INDIA - 110017
Phones: + 91-11-26671556 (Direct), 
26680914/883 Fax:26687724