AADHAAR RELATED ARTICLES: 4913 - Mamata takes on Centre over LPG subsidy, threatens IOC gherao

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

Thursday, November 14, 2013

4913 - Mamata takes on Centre over LPG subsidy, threatens IOC gherao - TNN

Mamata takes on Centre over LPG subsidy, threatens IOC gherao

TNN Nov 2, 2013, 06.47AM IST

KOLKATA: Mamata Banerjee picked up a fight against the Centre on Friday — this time on behalf of the millions of Bengal residents who may be deprived of LPG subsidy because they don't yet have an Aadhaar number. Mamata called for the Prime Minister's intervention and threatened to gherao the Indian Oil Corporation office in Dhakuria, south Kolkata, unless the Centre agrees to continue with the subsidy till Aadhaar rollout is complete in Bengal.

Despite objections from the Supreme Court, the Centre is going ahead with its attempt to link domestic LPG subsidy with Aadhaar cards in some districts from November. The direct benefit transfer linkage programme was launched on Friday in Kolkata, Howrah, Cooch Behar. IOC has already issued advertisements and sent messages to consumers about this, triggering panic among 80% of the state's population that is not yet enrolled.

The IOC ad says consumers will have to buy LPG cylinders at market price, and the subsidy will be transferred to the Aadhaar-linked bank account. "There is confusion over Aadhaar-linked subsidy. This is not correct. The Supreme Court has held that Aadhaar is not mandatory for availing social sector benefits. What will those who haven't got the Aadhaar card do? Our chief secretary has got in touch with the petroleum ministry, which has given a three-month relaxation for the changeover," she said, pointing out that Aadhaar is a central project and the Centre has to take efforts for its completion. The government hopes to attain 100% coverage by February 28, 2014.

The Bengal Congress has refuted Mamata's version. "Aadhaar was introduced by the UPA-II government in 2010. Mamata Banerjee was a cabinet minister then. Soon after the new government came to power in 2011, several reminders were sent to the state government over the slow progress of the project. Several states have reached more than 80% compliance but Bengal is lagging," said PCC leader Maya Ghose.

If the Centre enforces Aadhar-linked subsidy, Kolkatans will have to pay Rs 1,035 per cylinder if they don't have the card. The problem is that only about 4% of the 3.5 lakh consumers in Kolkata have linked their Aadhar number to their bank accounts. According to the CM, only 15-20% consumers have got Aadhaar cards and holding back subsidy under such circumstances is unacceptable.

Sources in the secretariat said there was 41% Aadhaar enrollment in Bengal till October 15 and 26.5% cards have been generated. Howrah, Cooch Behar and Hooghly top the list with more than 70% coverage but North Dinajpur and the three Jangalmahal districts of Bankura, Purulia and West Midnapore are way behind.

Cautioning the UPA-II government against doing things in a hurry, Mamata said: "The Centre can't do away with the LPG subsidy till all the consumers get the Aadhaar card. The Prime Minister should look into the matter. This is a serious issue."

She took a dig at the Centre for recommending fuel conservation. "They want governments to observe a 'bus day' when citizens won't be allowed to use their cars. They want to reschedule office hours as well. Is this how the system will change?" the CM asked.

The CM also gave piece of her mind over the multiplicity of social security cards. "How many cards does a common man need to keep — BPL card, Aadhaar Card? In that case the Centre has to open a locker for each citizen to keep all his cards. People are not beggars. They have rights. The Centre has to continue with the subsidy till all of them have their Aadhaar cards linked to bank accounts," the CM said.