AADHAAR RELATED ARTICLES: 10048 - Narendra Modi's two years: Extreme adulation to severe attack

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

Monday, May 30, 2016

10048 - Narendra Modi's two years: Extreme adulation to severe attack - Money Control

May 26, 2016, 11.53 AM | Source: NEWS18.com

Narendra Modi's two years: Extreme adulation to severe attack

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has completed two years in office. Like US President Barack Obama, Modi also rode to power on “audacity” of hope. After two years, the voters and political rivals are questioning him over his two years of achievements. His two years in power have fluctuated from extreme adulation to extreme criticism. Like any other leader, Modi also has his highs and lows, some achievements to flaunt and some controversies to hide.

Highs of Modi Government

Brand Modi helped BJP to win Maharashtra, Haryana, Jharkhand and Jammu & Kashmir Assembly elections within six months of him coming to power at the Centre. He got crucial bills like Real Estate and Aadhaar Bills passed in Parliament. The Land Border Agreement (LBA) with Bangladesh was finally signed and re-drawing of boundaries with the eastern neighbour became a reality after almost 70 years. His government has been so far scam free with no major allegations of financial corruption or nepotism. He has consolidated his hold over both the government and the party, silencing his critics and rivals. His initiatives like Make in India, Digital India, Swach Bharat, Yoga Day, Beti Bachao Beti Padao, Jan Dhan Yojana, etc. have yielded mixed results. BJP’s win in Assam and opening of its account in Kerala Assembly have convinced the party that Brand Modi is still strong. Another major feather in his cap has been the signing of the deal to develop Chabahar port in Iran which means India will no longer depend on Pakistan to reach Afghanistan and Central Asian countries.

Lows of Modi Government

The first major blow was BJP’s complete demolition at the hands of Arvind Kejriwal-led AAP in Delhi elections in February 2015. It took some sheen off Brand Modi. A few months later, the BJP suffered yet another humiliating defeat in Bihar at the hands of Nitish Kumar–Lalu Prasad combine even though Modi had campaigned extensively in the state. He has failed to get the contentious Goods & Services Tax Bill passed in Parliament.

Motormouth MPs and ministers like Sakshi Maharaj, Giriraj Singh, Sadhvi Niranjan, General VK Singh and Uma Bharti caused him much embarrassment in the last two years. Their remarks on various issues led to a huge furore. He is also accused of not doing anything to rein in his colleagues.

His olive branches to Pakistan yielded nothing. Pakistani leadership embarrassed him by continuing with terror attacks and other subversive activities across the border.

The unprecedented drought in over 200 districts has also raised serious doubts over the efficacy of his government. Recently, the BJP miserably failed to make any impact in Tamil Nadu, West Bengal and Puducherry Assembly polls.

Controversies Galore In the last one year,

Modi has battled controversies on a daily basis. The suicide of PhD scholar Rohit Vemula at the Hyderabad Central University, sedition charges against some JNU students, debate on nationalism, Bharat Mata Ki Jai controversy, minority issues, revocation of President’s rule in Uttarakhand by the Supreme Court, National Herald case, failed foreign policy in neighbouring countries like Nepal, Maldives, Sri Lanka, etc. have also attracted sharp criticism. His many foreign tours have also come under attack by the opposition. Modi has three more years to go before he faces another Lok Sabha election which will decide his and BJP’s future. If India receives a good monsoon this year and the BJP manages to do well in Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Punjab Assembly elections in 2017, Modi can heave a sigh of relief and can say that he has delivered.