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, January 9, 2018

12650 - Aadhaar data breach FIR: 'Are we living in a Banana Republic', asks furious Shatrughan Sinha - Times of India

Aadhaar data breach FIR: 'Are we living in a Banana Republic', asks furious Shatrughan Sinha


TIMESOFINDIA.COM | Updated: Jan 8, 2018, 17:39 IST

HIGHLIGHTS
  • Sinha is furious that "a journalist is hauled up for reporting alleged truth about malfunctioning & misuse of Aadhar"
  • On Sunday, the UIDAI lodged an FRI against the newspaper and the reporter which published a story about the alleged data breach
  • The Editors Guild of India condemned UIDAI's action, saying it was  designed to "browbeat a journalist"
NEW DELHI: A furious Shatrughan Sinha tweeted today asking whether Indians are living in a Banana Republic, considering "a journalist is hauled up for reporting alleged truth about malfunctioning & misuse of Aadhar." 

The actor-turned-parliamentarian, who belongs to the ruling BJP, minced no words slamming what he called the "politics of vendetta", after the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) yesterday lodged an FIR naming four people, including The Tribune newspaper and one of its reporters+ for breaking the news about the latest alleged Aadhaar data breach. 

Why the impact of Aadhaar data leaks could be massive 

Sinha may like to know that India last year slipped three places to 136th in the World Press Freedom Index of 180 nations, compiled by 'Reporters Without Borders'. 

Last week, The Tribune published a story+ saying that its reporter was sold all Aadhaar data available with UIDAI by a WhatsApp group for a paltry Rs 500. The reporter was given an ID and a password, which enabled her to access details of any Aadhaar number. 

With its reputation on the line, the UIDAI, the world's largest biometric identity card scheme, first denied this could happen and then said the "case appears to be an instance of misuse." 

When it filed the FIR on Sunday, it said it respects freedom of press, adding that it was duty bound to name everyone involved in the incident, including the reporter. 

"It does not mean that those who are named in the report are necessarily guilty," the authority said. 

That explanation didn't wash with the BJP's Sinha. 

"A journalist is hauled up for reporting alleged truth about malfunctioning & misuse of Aadhar. Are we living in a Banana Republic? What kind of "justice" is this? Is there only politics of vendetta? Even public is being victimised for coming out honestly for society & the nation," tweeted Sinha. 




Shatrughan Sinha
@ShatruganSinha

Shatrughan Sinha
@ ShatruganSinha
India
Father,Actor,Politician.Current Lok Sabha MP from Patna Sahib, Bihar. Twice been Union Cabinet minister,Rajya Sabha Member, Lok Sabha Member. Senior BJP leader
sinhashatrughan.in
2,290
TWEETS
17
FOLLOWING
232,977
FOLLOWE

A journalist is hauled up for reporting alleged truth about malfunctioning & misuse of Aadhar. Are we living in a Banana Republic? What kind of "justice" is this? Is there only politics of vendetta? Even public is being victimised for coming out honestly for society & the nation.
3:56 PM - Jan 8, 2018
Twitter Ads info and privacy


The Editors Guild of India condemned UIDAI's action, saying it was designed to "browbeat a journalist." And Sinha congratulated the Guild for taking this stand on the issue. 

"I congratulate the Editors' Guild of India for strongly taking up this matter & going deep into this. Hope wish and pray that genuine authorities in the Govt. and the respected SC in particular will take notice & come out with swift corrective measures. Satyamevajayate! Jai Hind!," said Sinha in a second tweet.
CLICK ON TITLE TO SEE ORIGINAL ARTICLE - Posted by
Labels: