AADHAAR RELATED ARTICLES: 12339 - GST, Aadhaar to transform Indian economy, to take it to a new level: UIDAI CEO Ajay Bhushan Pandey

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, November 9, 2017

12339 - GST, Aadhaar to transform Indian economy, to take it to a new level: UIDAI CEO Ajay Bhushan Pandey - DNA

GST, Aadhaar to transform Indian economy, to take it to a new level: UIDAI CEO Ajay Bhushan Pandey

SANJAY JOG | Updated: Nov 8, 2017, 08:25 AM IST, DNA

Interview with Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) CEO

Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) CEO Ajay Bhushan Pandey, in an interview with Sanjay Jog, said Aadhaar and GST have potential to transform Indian economy. Pandey, who is also the Chairman of Goods & Services Tax Network (GSTN), said government is taking due measures to provide relief to the people.

People are facing a lot of issues since GST roll-out. What measures are being taken to address them?

GST is a major reform. When you roll out any new system there are bound to be some teething problems. The process under GST is different than what it used to be. People will get used to it, and they will find it more convenient. We have addressed many issues that were raised, and are looking into the rest.

What is your take on issues related to GST Network?

In both GST and Aadhaar we are very sensitive to people's needs. We don't want the common people to be affected due to these reforms. We have been making required changes and adjustments. We will attempt every possible solution to address them.

There is a question of transition or change management. We are actively working with states and various stakeholders to ensure this change is smooth.

What has been the journey of Aadhaar since its launch in 2010?

We have issued Aadhaar to 118.7 crore people which is almost 89.7 per cent of the current population, which also constitutes 99 per cent of the adult population.

Aadhaar has ensured that needy and deserving people get the benefits. Cases of ghost duplication of fake beneficiaries were rampant before this.

In the last two-and-a-half year when Aadhaar was used for availing benefits, total savings estimated is around Rs 57,000 crore. A World Bank study in 2016 said if Aadhaar is used in all government schemes it will lead to an annual benefit of Rs 70,000.

What do you have to say on the debate that Aadhaar will breach privacy?

We are very particular about privacy. When the Aadhaar Act was drafted, it was based on the premise that privacy is a fundamental right. In its recent judgment, the Supreme Court said privacy can be restricted in legitimate interest and it has to be proportionate and justified. According to us, Aadhaar complies with the SC order.

There have been apprehensions about misuse of Aadhaar data. How far it is possible?

Privacy and data protection are very important. We have taken possible measures and applied technological processes to ensure that there is no breach into UIDAI data. During seven years there has not been single breach of data from the UIDAI and biometrics given by citizens are safe and secured. That does not mean that we become complacent. People who are attempting they are changing the technology and we have to be ahead of them so that data remains absolutely secured.