AADHAAR RELATED ARTICLES: 5476 - UPA's Aadhaar is Niradhaar, Betrays Country's Security: Ananth Kumar

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, April 19, 2014

5476 - UPA's Aadhaar is Niradhaar, Betrays Country's Security: Ananth Kumar - New I ndian Express

UPA's Aadhaar is Niradhaar, Betrays Country's Security: Ananth Kumar

By Pratul Sharma

Published: 17th April 2014 06:00 AM

Last Updated: 17th April 2014 12:09 AM

Bangalore South has become of one of the hotly contest seats. Do you feel the pressure of the new entrant?

There is a huge wave in my constituency. There are three issues: Narendra Bhai’s leadership, Ananth Kumar’s work and strong organisational network of the party - 43 corporators in 61 wards and four MLAs out of eight. It’s a stronghold of the BJP, coupled with national mode it has created a wave. This is hot constituency only for the media. Last time, it created a hot constituency in favour of Captain Gopinath saying he was going to win. But he lost. Greatest weakness is that he is a Congress candidate. Bangalore south elections are national elections they want to elect a prime minister. The Congress is tainted by so much scam, price rise it sticks to the Congress candidate. People will not vote for individual candidates, but national. He is not seen in individual candidate, people only see symbol hand. Aadhaar scheme is great betrayal of security. Aadhaar is niradhaar.

Is this election different this time. What are the issues with you going to elections?

This constituency was changed after delimitation though name remains the same. People have seen my work in the earlier constituency. I have brought them international airport, drinking water, metro, flyovers, parks, reservoirs. I am telling the voters that during the last 10 years misrule has ruined the country - price rise, economic crisis, security crisis. Corruption. Coupled with that it was only the combination of Vajpayee-Ananth Kumar that all development works were done. This time it will be Narendra Modi and Ananth Kumar combination. So it’s good news for the people.

The Congress had done well in the Assembly elections. Do you think they would repeat their performance in the Lok Sabha?

Former Congress CM SM Krishna said that honey moon period for the Karnataka government is over. If Ananth Kumar is saying something it’s different, now Krishna is saying its different. Krishna said three things: honeymoon period is over; they could have done better job and ticket distribution could have better. What more do I say about Congress.

The BJP lost elections over corruption charges against Yeddyurappa. He is back and contesting. Even Sriramulu was inducted despite Sushma Swaraj’s opposition. Muthalik too was inducted and ousted. Would not these issues harm BJP?

People have given the verdict for the 2013. This is 2014 Lok Sabha. People talk about 2014, it is now verdict about the Manmohan Singh Government. People no longer want to talk about the past. Larger issue is to bring Narendra Modi into power. Actually, people expect a unified situation in Karnataka. They wanted unity. We achieved the unity.

In BJP’s campaign what has come out is the differences within the party?

Old guard is moving out. Its old versus the new. There is nothing like this. This is a natural growth of the BJP.

If the NDA Government wins do you see yourself as part of the next government?

Whatever role party gives me I will accept. I treat it with great equanimity. I have seen all the ups and downs many times. I have been in and out of the government. I held many portfolios.