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, January 22, 2018

12742 - Woman Claims Her Aadhaar Linked To Nine Mobile Connections, UIDAI Says Go File A Complaint With TRAI - Outlook India

21 JANUARY 2018 Last Updated at 1:37 PM NATIONAL

Woman Claims Her Aadhaar Linked To Nine Mobile Connections, UIDAI Says Go File A Complaint With TRAI

She also added that the executive told her that the operator had allowed six connections, but failed to explain how the seventh, eighth and ninth connections were linked to her Aadhaar

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Woman Claims Her Aadhaar Linked To Nine Mobile Connections, UIDAI Says Go File A Complaint With TRAI

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Amid debates over privacy and the safety of Aadhaar data, a woman has alleged that she was recently shocked to learn at least nine mobile phone connections have already been linked to her 12-digit unique identification when she went to her telecom operator to get her cell number linked.

Taking to Twitter, the woman said: “Went to an Airtel store to get AADHAAR linked to the single mobile number i have been using since 2000. Was told there are 9 connections already linked to my AADHAAR!”

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She also added that the executive told her that the operator had allowed six connections, but failed to explain how the seventh, eighth and ninth connections were linked to her Aadhaar.

“I was told upto 6 connections are allowed. What the executive couldn't explain was how were 7th, 8th and 9th connections added!,” she tweeted, adding that she had not used an Aadhaar to buy the SIM.

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Replying to her complaint, Bharti Airtel said it was investigating the matter.

“Hi! I respect your views & appreciate you explaining me on the situation! As discussed, I'm checking the best possible solution to this & will get back with an update as quickly as possible. Thank you for your patience. – Raman,” Airtel tweeted.

16 Jan

P R D@PRIYARD

The biggest shock of my life!!!

Went to an Airtel store to get AADHAAR linked to the single mobile number i have been using since 2000.
Was told there are 9 connections already linked to my AADHAAR!

What the hell is happening? @Airtel_Presence @airtelindia @UIDAI

Bharti Airtel India

✔@Airtel_Presence

Hi! I respect your views & appreciate you explaining me on the situation! As discussed, I'm checking the best possible solution to this & will get back with an update as quickly as possible. Thank you for your patience. - Raman

3:31 PM - Jan 21, 2018

1 Reply

Retweets

4 likes

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Surprisingly, neither the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI), which collects data for Aadhaar or Bharti Airtel flagged her earlier about the issue.

The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) asked her to complain against the mobile company to the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) or TERM cell of DOT for fraudulently issuing SIM against her Aadhaar number.

“At least the Aadhaar holder knows how many mobiles are linked to his/her Aadhaar number. In such cases one can complain against the mobile company to TRAI or TERM cell of DOT for fraudulently issuing SIM against their Aadhaar Number.” said UIDAI in its reply.

16 Jan

P R D@PRIYARD

The biggest shock of my life!!!

Went to an Airtel store to get AADHAAR linked to the single mobile number i have been using since 2000.
Was told there are 9 connections already linked to my AADHAAR!

What the hell is happening? @Airtel_Presence @airtelindia @UIDAI

Aadhaar

✔@UIDAI

At least the Aadhaar holder knows how many mobiles are linked to his/her Aadhaar number. In such cases one can complain against the mobile company to TRAI or TERM cell of DOT for fraudulently issuing SIM against their Aadhaar Number. 1/3

2:38 PM - Jan 21, 2018

147 Replies

88 Retweets

111 likes

Twitter Ads info and privacy

It added that: “The mobile company must provide evidence as to when and how these mobiles were linked to the Aadhaar Number, or face action for fraudulent acts by its employees.”

21 Jan

Aadhaar

✔@UIDAI

Replying to @PRIYARD and 2 others

At least the Aadhaar holder knows how many mobiles are linked to his/her Aadhaar number. In such cases one can complain against the mobile company to TRAI or TERM cell of DOT for fraudulently issuing SIM against their Aadhaar Number. 1/3

Aadhaar

✔@UIDAI

The mobile company must provide evidence as to when and how these mobiles were linked to the Aadhaar Number, or face action for fraudulent acts by its employees. 2/3

2:38 PM - Jan 21, 2018

12 Replies

24 Retweets

54 likes

Twitter Ads info and privacy

Last month, an investigation by The Tribune had revealed that details of Aadhaar are easily accessible, that too just by paying Rs 500.

According to the newspaper, its reporter purchased a service by anonymous sellers on WhatsApp and paid Rs 500 via Paytm to an agent of the group running a racket. The agent then created a “gateway” for the reporter and gave a login ID and password, thus giving unrestricted access to details, including name, address, postal code (PIN), photo, phone number and email, of more than 1 billion Aadhaar numbers submitted to the UIDAI.

In December, the government extended the deadline for mandatory Aadhaar linking from December 31 to March 31, 2018.