AADHAAR RELATED ARTICLES: 12764 - ‘They called me a Pakistani’: Police brutality lands elderly man in hospital

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 23, 2018

12764 - ‘They called me a Pakistani’: Police brutality lands elderly man in hospital - Hindustan Times

‘They called me a Pakistani’: Police brutality lands elderly man in hospital

Two Panchkula cops suspended: 64-yr-old driver says he was called Pakistani, made to strip and beaten up by drunk ASI, constable on PCR duty — who also took his money

PUNJAB Updated: Jan 23, 2018 10:24 Ist

HT Correspondent

Hindustan Times, Panchkula

Kin of Ramzan Mohammad (right) blocking the Mansa Devi Complex road in Panchkula on Monday. They demanded the dismissal and arrest of the policemen whose brutality landed the 64-year-old in GMCH-32, Chandigarh, with severe injuries on the hip.(Sant Arora/HT)

A 64-year-old man was brutally beaten up by two Panchkula cops, who were allegedly drunk, late on Sunday night.

While victim Ramzan Mohammad is undergoing treatment for severe injuries on his hip at Government Medical College and Hospital, Sector 32, the two cops — assistant sub-inspector (ASI) Karnail Singh and constable Jagjit Singh — have been suspended, but only after a protest.

Ramzan, who works as a driver for a Manimajra businessman and stays in Saketri, was on his way home when the cops on the police control room (PCR) duty stopped him near the railway underbridge in Mansa Devi Complex (MDC) around 12:15am.

Ramzan’s helper Tiwari, who was accompanying him in a new mini truck, said: “The cops started abusing us the moment we stepped out of the vehicle.”

“I told them that I am an Indian and even showed them my licence and Aadhaar card. But they kept on insulting me, calling me spy and anti-national.” — Ramzan Mohammad

Tiwari said Ramzan made the cops talk to their employer — Rakesh Goyal — and even showed them valid documents, but they impounded the vehicle. Following this, the cops allegedly took the two to the MDC police station.

Recalling his ordeal, Ramzan alleged the cops called him Pakistani. “I told them that I am an Indian and even showed them my licence and Aadhaar card. But they kept on insulting me, calling me spy and anti-national,” said Ramzan.

One of the cops then asked Ramzan and Tiwari to strip. When Ramzan resisted, they allegedly forcefully removed his clothes and kicked him repeatedly on his hips. “They then asked us to hand over our money to them. I had Rs 960 in my pocket while Ramzan had Rs 3,700,” said Tiwari.

Later, the cops called Rakesh Goyal, who then took Ramzan to hospital. Ramzan was bleeding profusely when he reached the Panchkula civil hospital around 1:30am.

After initial medication, he was referred to Chandigarh for surgery. Ramzan, who is already suffering from spine problem, will take some more days to recover and get discharged, said the victim’s family.

Suspension after kin protest

Flashing Ramzan’s blood-stained clothes, his son Mohammad Sadiq and other relatives blocked the main MDC road for several hours on Monday. “How can police justify beating up an elderly man who was returning home peacefully. He was tortured just to extort money,” he said.

Ramzan’s employer, Rakesh Goyal, said he has officially submitted a complaint against the cops. Later, deputy commissioner of police (DCP) Manbir Singh said the ASI and constable have been suspended.

“We will also initiate police action against them after recording the victim’s statement,” he said. The protesters had been demanding their immediate dismissal and arrest. They also alleged there was another cop involved in the incident. He was the one who opened the gate of the police station.

The DCP said they were probing the matter and will take appropriate action against whosoever is involved. Meanwhile, area residents alleged PCR personnel had been harassing people at night in the name of checking vehicles for the past few months.