AADHAAR RELATED ARTICLES: 5244 - 'Modi Not An Individual, An Idea'

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

Friday, February 28, 2014

5244 - 'Modi Not An Individual, An Idea' - New Indian Express

'Modi Not An Individual, An Idea'

By Rajashekara S and Hemanth Kumar - BANGALORE

Published: 28th February 2014 08:39 AM

Last Updated: 28th February 2014 11:32 AM

Handpicked by Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi to halt the winning run of BJP’s national general secretary Ananth Kumar in Bangalore South Lok Sabha constituency, UIDAI chief Nandan Nilekani is already raising the poll dust. But the BJP think tank is making quiet preparations to turn the tables on Nilekani by picking holes in his pet project. Former Union minister and BJP leader Yashwant Sinha dropped enough hints about the strategy during his conversation with Rajashekara S and Hemanth Kumar from Express. Excerpts.

Congress is hoping to humble Ananth Kumar this time with Nandan Nilekani in Bangalore South. How do you see Aadhaar having its impact on the fortunes of BJP here?

Aadhaar will be a big baggage for Nilekani. He (Nilekani) will have a lot to explain. We will not support Aadhaar in its present form if the BJP is voted to power. Nilekani is the only person who has benefited from Aadhaar, as he has been rewarded with a Congress ticket. The Parliamentary Committee on Finance had rejected Aadhaar with many adverse comments in 2011. It has not benefited the common man.

BJP is talking about UPA scams. But what about scams during the BJP regime?

There has been a very strenuous attempt to equate the BJP with the Congress on corruption.

The magnitude of the Congress scams is unimaginable with a single scam of the size `2 lakh crore. It is a totally irrelevant comparison. Law will take its own course in case of BJP scams. But the Congress has prevented law from taking its course. The Congress has criticised agencies like CAG and used every rule to conceal corruption.

BJP’s aggressive posturing of winning a comfortable majority on its own seems to be very unrealistic.

It is the strong who will attract the allies, not the weak. It is not overconfidence. It is hard work and confidence. Our mission of 272+ is very realistic. We will produce unlikely results in unlikely spots. BJP will score huge gains in UP and Bihar. We will do exceedingly well in our traditional areas of strength like Gujarat, MP and Rajasthan.

We may spring a big surprise in West Bengal too. North Eastern region too is showing encouraging signs. So it is not an impossible dream.

By projecting Modi as the PM candidate, are you not eliminating the chances of getting new allies if BJP falls well short of the magic figure?

Modi is not an individual. He is an idea. He symbolises strong leadership, success and development against the weak and inefficient leadership in other parties. Modi is an idea in contrast with UPA’s failures.

Once BJP attains the critical mass in next Lok Sabha elections, even those who have kept away from the party in the past will come back.

It has happened in the past too during the Janata, VP Singh and Vajpayee governments. Getting new allies post-polls is not difficult.

In its quest for power has BJP given up on its core ideological issues like Ram Temple, uniform civil code etc.?

After the 2003 Assembly elections, the BJP has made development its main focus. Ram Temple is an issue of faith.

The most important lesson that we have learnt from Vajpayee is the importance of consensus. Ram Temple and uniform civil code will be addressed through the process of evolving a consensus or judicial verdict.

What is your take on Third Front?

I do not want to waste my time talking about it.

BJP and Modi’s campaign so far has been limited to Congress and Rahul bashing. But Modi is yet to come out with a convincing alternative vision for the country’s development, foreign policy and strategic challenges.

Drafting of our manifesto is in progress. It will spell out our vision for all the sectors. First we will undo the mistakes of UPA government in economic and foreign policy. Already you can see the change in attitude of the US towards Modi.

The US Ambassador recently met Modi over the visa issue. Modi has sent a strong message against the expansionist mindset of China. There are lot of grey areas that will automatically vanish once Modi comes to power