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, April 14, 2016

9836 - Why oppose Aadhar? - Shillong Times

Why oppose Aadhar?
EDITOR | WEDNESDAY, APRIL 13, 2016


Read more at http://www.theshillongtimes.com/2016/04/13/why-oppose-aadhar/#YaJC6s5BtuBLWU1p.99

Pressure groups who are opposing the Aadhaar scheme must be anti-poor since the scheme is meant to facilitate the transfer of subsidies directly to the bank account of the Aadhaar Card holders who are also the poorest (BPL category) So no Aadhaar card means no transfer of subsidy. The Aadhaar scheme was launched in 2009 to give a universal identity to every resident Indian. 

That the Narendra Modi Government has found this scheme initiated during the UPA regime, worth pursuing also means that the present government sees its positive aspects. Direct transfer of LPG subsidy will very soon be made applicable only to those having the 12 digit individual identification number on the Aadhaar card. Even when opening the Jan Dhan Yojna account which benefits the poorest, the Aadhaar card will be made mandatory. The Jan Dhan Yojna has several benefits such as the RuPay card (an ATM card for money withdrawal), a zero balance savings account, life and accident insurance and many other cash transfers which will reduce corruption and eliminate middlemen from the system.

From March 2015, in most states, the Aadhaar card UIDAI number has been linked to the voter ID to eliminate bogus voters. Once an Aadhaar number is linked, it is impossible for a multiple voter ID card holder to use it illegally because registration requires the voter card holder to be physically present and produce the Aadhaar card to the polling booth officer for linking.

Now all pensioners must register their Aadhaar card number to their respective departments in order to receive monthly pension. This move was initiated as there have been fraudulent incidents where beneficiaries seeking pension were found to be fake. Similarly,  provident fund money will also be given to the account holders who have registered their Aadhaar number with employee provident fund organization (EPFO). The Aadhaar linked Digital Life Certificate is another initiative which was launched by Department of Electronics and IT. Named as “Jeevan Praman for Pensioners”, this system will put an end to the process where the pensioner had to be physically present at the Pension Disbursing Agency to prove that he/she is alive. Instead all the details of the pensioner will be accessed digitally by the agency. There are other benefits as well such as getting a passport in 10 days if one has an Aadhaar Card since police verification will be done later. Under the Modi government’s new rule if one needs a passport the Aadhaar number is compulsory.
Considering the increasing acceptance of Aadhaar card across the country and also its importance in getting cash transfers directly to the poor, it is puzzling as to why there is a fear psychosis about accepting this scheme here. Moreover, no pressure group can legitimately appropriate the voice of the people. Those who stand to lose the most, namely the poor could approach the court of law to redress their grievances since the Government has been dilly-dallying and does not seem to have the political will to get on with the scheme.
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Read more at http://www.theshillongtimes.com/2016/04/13/why-oppose-aadhar/#YaJC6s5BtuBLWU1p.99
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