AADHAAR RELATED ARTICLES: 12409 - Modi is first PM who has never held press conference as he ‘cannot answer questions’: Kapil Sibal in Vadodara

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

Tuesday, November 21, 2017

12409 - Modi is first PM who has never held press conference as he ‘cannot answer questions’: Kapil Sibal in Vadodara - Indian Express

Modi is first PM who has never held press conference as he ‘cannot answer questions’: Kapil Sibal in Vadodara

"He has not spoken about his vision for India because he doesn't know what his vision really is. Governance does not mean you reach France and place orders for Rafales across the table," said Kapil Sibal in a series of verbal attacks that targeted PM Modi.

By: Express Web Desk | New Delhi | Updated: November 19, 2017 4:56 pm

“Modi only thinks about himself. If he spends 15 days in Gujarat, or anywhere in the country where there are elections, he should become the election campaigner, not the Prime Minister,” said Kapil Sibal. (Express Photo by Bhupendra Rana)

Ahead of next month’s Gujarat assembly elections, senior Congress leader Kapil Sibal on Saturday launched a blistering attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Sibal, who arrived in Vadodara to interact with an audience that consisted of intellectuals, lawyers and traders from Gujarat, said that Modi is the first Prime Minister in the country’s history who never held a press conference, claiming that he lacks the ability to answer questions that are raised to him.

The Congress leader remarked that PM Modi can merely deliver speeches with statistics that may or may not be true. He also challenged BJP president Amit Shah for a debate. “I challenge Amit Shah to a debate to prove that Gujarat leads ranks in any sector,” said Sibal.

ALSO READ| Prove that Gujarat leads ranks in any sector, Kapil Sibal challenges Amit Shah

Sibal began his speech by stating that: “Narendra Modi had promised maximum governance and minimum government but we need to assess if he has delivered on his promise.”

Kapil Sibal arriving at the venue where he interacted with lawyers, traders and intellectuals. (Express Photo: Bhupendra Rana)

He further pointed out that the Parliament Winter session was never delayed due to an assembly election in a state. “We haven’t heard from the government if the winter session will happen,” said former HRD minister.

Targeting PM Modi over his criticism that the former Prime Minsiter Manmohan Singh remained silent on several issues, Sibal said: “He accused Manmohan Singh of remaining silent, but Manmohan Singh spoke on the floor of the Parliament.”

Sibal also alleged that the BJP neither allows the opposition to speak in the Lok Sabha nor outside the Floor of the House. He accused the BJP-led central government of orchestrating media censorship in the country. He also promised that when Congress comes to power, it will “bring a law to ensure that no industrialist invests money in a media house.”

BJP gave birth to Jaish-e-Mohammed': Kapil Sibal

Demonetisation decision was made in haste: Kapil Sibal

Commenting about the ongoing debate on the issue of privacy, Sibal stated that the PM Modi-led central government informed the 11 judge Constitution bench of the Supreme Court that Right to Privacy is not a fundamental right.

Congress leader Kapil Sibal in an interaction with ‘intellectuals’ from Vadodara on Saturday. (Express Photo by Bhupendra Rana)

“It shows their mindset,” Sibal pointed out. “They have said that it is the right of the government to force every citizen to provide the Aadhaar number for any activity in the country. They want to know the bank balance, movements of the people,” Sibal said furthering his comments on the privacy debate in the country.

He clarified that Congress is opposed to the intrusion of the government into the lives of citizens in the guise of Aadhar.

“Their Aadhar policy is an example of maximum government. They cannot sit and keep tabs on what people are doing through Aadhar,” Sibal added.

While mentioning the raids made by the country’s investigative agencies on the leaders of the Congress party, Sibal said that- “If investigating agencies do not work within the framework of law but attack individuals, it is subversion of democracy; they have made their people, who helped them in Gujarat, Chief of investigating agencies.”

Demonetisation decision was made in haste: Kapil Sibal

BJP gave birth to Jaish-e-Mohammed': Kapil Sibal

While taking a note of the Prime Minister’s frequent visits to the states undergoing elections to rally support for BJP, Sibal said that: “Modi only thinks about himself. If he spends 15 days in Gujarat, or anywhere in the country where there are elections, he should become the election campaigner, not the Prime Minister.”

Retaliating on the BJP’s criticism the Akash tablet scheme, Sibal stated that the Congress Party’s vision was that it would help teach students who suffer due to lack of teachers. Sibal alleged that the Modi-led government is not thinking of the future of students.

Gujarat Assembly Elections: The Key Players

Hardik Patel Holds Road Show In Gujarat

“He has not spoken about his vision for India because he doesn’t know what his vision really is. Governance does not mean you reach France and place orders for Rafales across the table,” said Sibal in a series of verbal attacks that targeted PM Modi.

Sibal rejected the latest Moody ratings that upgraded the state of Indian economy on Friday. “Moody’s has nothing do with the mood of this country. Every country they have given rating to, has collapsed. But Modiji does not know this because his ‘mood’ has changed because of Moody,” Sibal lampooned.

Sibal toed the Congress party line for Gujarat campaign and spoke of Surat small traders suffering due to economic policies. “The NPAs (non-performing assets) of banks have gone upto Rs 10000 crore. When public investment surpasses private investment, it means economy is crashing; but Finance Minister is patting his back.”

Talking of demonetisation, he said that it was akin to buying Rafales. “Most decisions taken by PM Modi are without thought; demonetisation, purchase of Rafales, GST,” Sibal remarked. Sibal cited a Transparency International report and said, “The report termed India the most corrupt country in Asia-Pacific. BJP is the richest political party, especially after demonetisation. Weren’t there middlemen who helped the rich convert black money to white.”