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, August 14, 2015

8511 - Maharashtra government to have 100% Aadhaar card holders in 3 months: Eknath Khadse - dna India

Maharashtra government to have 100% Aadhaar card holders in 3 months: Eknath Khadse
Thursday, 13 August 2015 - 8:00am IST | Agency: dna | From the print edition


Sudhir Suryawanshi
Follow @ss_suryawanshi
In the next three months, Maharashtra will have 100% Aadhaar card holders from the current 80%, according to agriculture and revenue minister Eknath Khadse. To ensure this, he said, the government was buying 2,000 additional computers. Once everyone had Aadhaar cards, it would be easier for the government to implement various welfare schemes, Khadse told dna correspondent Sudhir Suryawanshi during an exclusive interview, covering various issues, including the looming drought situation in the state. Excerpts:


How is the drought situation in Maharashtra given the fact that there is only 7% water in the dams?
Khadse: We have been experimenting with cloud seeding in three districts – Beed, Latur and Usmanabad. The result has been quite satisfactory so far. In last three days, due to cloud seeding, most parts of these districts received 8-30mm rainfall. This amount of rainfall is good to grow fodder as well. Nevertheless, I have told drought-prone area district collectors to identify locations to start fodder camps so that animals don't starve.

Are you planning to extend cloud seeding to other districts as well?
Certainly, if the situation demands and weather is conducive for the experiment. Our planes are always ready and connected to the radar. Cloud seeding has been done with the cooperation of the meteorology department. However, natural rainfall has also started in many parts of the state. Vidarbha is receiving good rainfall. Currently, our only concern is Marathwada. Fodder is a major issue. Man can survive but to keep the animals alive in drought is a big challenge.

Has government prepared any contingency plan?
A few days ago, I had spoken to both Madya Pradesh and Karnataka governments to get fodder from them as they were close to the Marathwada region. We are committed to help the people. We have also decided to use hydroponic technology to grow fodder quickly and in large quantity. This innovative technology has been developed in Australia and is widely used in Europe and other parched regions. By using this technology, fodder can be grown in ten days only, and that too without using the soil. It is clean, neat and an easy solution to fodder shortage problem.

Any feedback after beef was banned in Maharashtra?
There are all sorts of opinions. Most of the people welcomed the move, a few of them did not liked it. The minority community met me and told that on Bakri Eid, the poor used to slaughter unproductive bulls and consume their meat. It was affordable for them. But I convinced them that going by the name of the festival, on Bakri Eid, only bakri (goat) should be sacrificed and not other animals.

After beef ban, you had said that cowsheds (goshalas) will be opened soon to protect unproductive animals. What happened?
The proposal is moving at a snail's pace. But we are committed to start cowsheds soon. We have already identified seven locations for cowsheds. The land reserved for Gayrans will be used to set up cowsheds. We have several Gayrans in the state. Also, the Centre is ready to provide the fund.

The Supreme Court has said that the Aadhaar card should not be made mandatory. Any comments?
In Maharashtra, 80% people are having their Aadhaar cards. The apex court said Aadhaar should not be made compulsory but it permitted to use it for PDS and LPG. If all residents are having Aadhaar cards, then it can be made mandatory. We have decided to buy 2,000 computers for Aadhaar work. Our target is 100% Aadhaar penetration in the state in next three months.

Do you think the LBT decision was taken in a hurry to please the business community?
We had promised an LBT-free Maharashtra during the state elections. We fulfilled it after coming to power. The additional burden created by scrapping of LBT will be offset by fees of stamp duty and registrations which will go to respective municipal corporations.
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