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

Sunday, July 29, 2018

13796 - My Aadhaar number is 7621 7768 2740: Show me how can you harm, challenges TRAI Chief - Entrackr


-July 28, 2018



Image source

Debate around constitutional validity of Aadhaar has become intense for over past several months as the apex court is slated to take a final ruling on it soon.

While government and bureaucrats have been defending the mandatory enforcement of Aadhaar in state run schemes and for proving identity, many activists and citizens believe that 12 digit biometric would be harmful to citizen’s privacy.

Defending the government stance on Aadhaar, Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) chairman R.S. Sharma had said that Aadhaar does not violate privacy and the government has a right to create such a database of residents since it gives subsidies.

“Tell me what harm can you do to me if you have my Aadhaar details? I will give you my Aadhaar number if you like,” Sharma, told ThePrint in an interview.

Responding to Sharma claim, a Twitter handle by name @kingslyj asked Sharma to walk the talk and reveal his Aadhaar number.


@kingslyj@kingslyj
· 28 Jul

We have paid your salary for all these years @rssharma3 please share all your personal data with us. https://twitter.com/digitaldutta/status/1023019749725241344 …


@kingslyj@kingslyj

Walk your talk @rssharma3!

Publish your Aadhaar details to the public if you have so much trust in this 13ft wall secured system.https://theprint.in/governance/what-harm-can-you-do-to-me-if-you-have-my-aadhaar-details-asks-trai-chairman-r-s-sharma/88798/ …
1:00 PM - Jul 28, 2018

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Twitter Ads info and privacy

Soon after the challenge threw to him over Twitter, RS Sharma made his 12 digit biometric number public on the micro blogging site.


@kingslyj@kingslyj
· 28 Jul
Replying to @kingslyj

Walk your talk @rssharma3!

Publish your Aadhaar details to the public if you have so much trust in this 13ft wall secured system.https://theprint.in/governance/what-harm-can-you-do-to-me-if-you-have-my-aadhaar-details-asks-trai-chairman-r-s-sharma/88798/ …


RS Sharma@rssharma3
My Aadhaar number is 7621 7768 2740

Now I give this challenge to you: Show me one concrete example where you can do any harm to me!

6:14 PM - Jul 28, 2018
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2,068 people are talking about this
Twitter Ads info and privacy

Six months ago, a Twitter handle had exposed that anyone in possession of an Aadhaar number can know the last bank the number was linked to by simply dialing a number given out by the UIDAI itself.

Although the feature doesn’t reveal the account number except for the bank’s name, privacy experts raise question over sharing private details with others.

Earlier this week, Infosys co-founder and serial entrepreneur Nandan Nilekani said that he would not mind if the Supreme Court rules Aadhaar as non-mandatory for citizens of the country.

While the final verdict by apex court on making UIDAI mandatory for citizens is awaited, Sharma seems to have scored a brownie point over detractors of Aadhaar.

Sharma is being reportedly considered as a leading contender to head the yet to be constituted data protection authority.
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Jai Vardhan
Started his career at The Indian express Jai Vardhan is a journalist, entrepreneur, and compelling storyteller. He has been writing about startups and digital economy for over seven years. Previously, he worked with YourStory, NextBigWhat, and Iamwire. Connect with him 
   


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