In the judgment, the Supreme Court declared Aadhar is not mandatory for getting a mobile number or to open a bank account.
Though the Supreme Court endorsed the Constitutional validity of Aadhar, the way Rahul Gandhi and Arun Jaitley interpreted the judgment gives rise to doubts that whether these two leaders know what they were talking.
Jaitley was correct when he said everyone who has been criticising Aadhaar should understand that they cannot defy technology.
Rahul Gandhi tweeted “For Congress, Aadhaar was an instrument of empowerment. For the BJP, Aadhaar is a tool of oppression and surveillance. Thank you Supreme Court for supporting the Congress vision and protecting”. On the other hand, Arun Jaitley said, “Congress cuts a very sorry figure here, they introduced the idea but they did not know what to do with it”.
It is common for politicians to interpret any judgment to suit them. Even by these standards, these comments were really off the mark. The fact is both are wrong. One can say Aadhar is Chidambaram’s brainchild. He knows what he was doing. Had Congress won in 2014, by now Aadhar would have become a massive tracking tool. BJP simply copied the idea of Chidambaram but pursued it brazenly.
Criticism of Aadhar was there even during UPA and so Chidambaram was not fully using the new weapon he constructed. He was waiting to push it slowly but steadily. First, let people get used to it for benefits. Later-on squeeze them. They can’t go back. BJP started using Aadhar before the incubation period is completed. So, they had to face the wrath for linking it to everything. Jaitley was correct when he said everyone who has been criticising Aadhaar should understand that they cannot defy technology.
In the judgment, the Supreme Court declared Aadhar is not mandatory for getting a mobile number or to open a bank account. It is a funny logic and without understanding the capability of the technology Bank Accounts of Taxpayers or Tax Assesses are connected to PAN and Aadhar. Bank Accounts are connected to Mobile numbers. So, the loop of Aadhar link to Mobile number is already done.
Then there are some people who are not Taxpayers/Tax Assesses. And, many of them need Aadhar for availing the benefits of various schemes. How the government pays subsidies? By transferring money directly into their accounts. Using what? The same Aadhar number that is not mandatory. How does the beneficiary know he received money in his account? Through a message on his mobile number that is linked to the bank account. Is the link between Aadhar, Bank Account and Mobile Number not complete?
The only point where Chidambaram faltered was in not converting PAN into Aadhar. Simply by adding biometrics, PAN could have doubled as Aadhar
Now, how many people don’t fall in either category? Very few. Perhaps, Supreme Court Judges should have spent some time in understanding how the system works.
A few days ago, a scam borne out of a rumour that the Government is giving money to every girl, thousands of people spent their money on filling forms, taking photos etc., in UP. The moment government says student scholarships are through direct benefit transfer, most students would open a bank account and enter the Aadhar network. So in the end, what will be the result? It is anybody’s guess.
It is not for nothing even his enemies admire Chidambaram. It takes more intelligence to execute the scams his family was named in. The only point where Chidambaram faltered was in not converting PAN into Aadhar. Simply by adding biometrics, PAN could have doubled as Aadhar (In IT terms, one key field can be reduced by saving a lot of memory). That way, everyone in need of benefits would get not only get Aadhar but also register with IT. No Supreme Court could reverse that process.
Now, if the Supreme Court’s ruling blunted India’s “most effective tracking system” was it due to Chidambaram’s oversight? Or, should I blame Nandan Nilekani, for not pointing it out to Chidambaram?
Rahul is doing a disservice to Chidambaram when he accused BJP used it for surveillance for Chidambaram created Aadhar mainly for surveillance but disguised it as a beneficiary tool.
Note:
1. The views expressed here are those of the author and do not necessarily represent or reflect the views of PGurus.
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Height is those who racked up the privacy were main against linking PAN and direct benefit transfer schemes so that money laundering and middleman commission could be revived unfortunately for them AADHAAR remained valid.
Nobody had any object for schools pensions etc but they are deprived making KYC so complecated again. I do not consider DL and rationcards are real identity because fake DL and voters ID can easily be made.
I fail to understand why every bank transaction needs to be accompanied by a text message. It is so bothersome and costly. This whole thing seems like it is run for easy moneymaking.
BJP and RSS workers don’t seem to be bothered by this. Makes me worry if they have allowed themselves to be carried away by something else than social good.
While Modi is trying to make the system transparent, life of criminals more difficult and India leapfrog into every aspect as a Nation, some “uneducated judges” without adequate knowledge turned this whole process into reverse gear, not to talk of crores of taxpayers Rupees that have already been spent on creating this extraordinarily wonderful tool that even US wants to replicate. In this AADhar technology, we are ahead of almost all the countries in the world and unfortunately, some tainted, biased, judges turned this upside down. Very unfortunate for us.
You have answered the questions I have had in mind. Thanks.
This is factually incorrect. Chidambaram is the one who stopped it altogether fearing that it can boomerang on criminals like him. After Nilekani etc enrolled about 50% of population into Aadhar, Chidambaram intervened and stopped it saying that it is enrolling illegal immigrants as well. So, Aadhar was abandoned altogether after spending something like Rs.600 crores. Chidambaram then started National Population Register separately. I remember having filled the form for NPR when I went to enrol for Aadhar. So, when NDA came to power, Aadhar was as good as dead. Nilekani then gave a presentation to Modi on Aadhar and after going through it thoroughly, Modi understood the benefit and revived it and Aadhar has reached where it is today.
Thanks for sharing the article with us.
Whether it is Chidambaram’s brain or not, BJP tried to implement the motive of Aadhar. Except the one that the data can be shared freely. If the data protection is kept, then there is not need fear. Even if you buy a mobile phone, when you are doing the Aadhar Authentication, the data can be easily erased once the authentication functionality is executed and there are ways to do. Now also you can do a reverse engineering with the PAN, that have bank account and mobile number, but the main issue is you can create any number of bank account that is not linked. May be, the PAN linking to bank account can till trace this. Good that no one went to court to abolish PAN. Now also PAN can have the biometric.
Well written. It is no doubt that Chidambaram is the most clever crook and even beats shared Pawar who lacks the intelligence but tries to make up with deeper criminal nexus.
The courts have shown yet again that the judges work on bloated egos and are at best theorists who don’t care or understand the onus of executing and the cost and time to execute. Aadhar is the potentially only unique id we have created with all other efforts including pan being done in compartments and plenty of duplicAtes.
The efforts in so many years to reach some 97% inclusion has costed time and money. Taxpayer money. By saying one can withdraw the courts are u winding possibly the best executed uid exercise ever
When the judges are at the level of pressure cooker analogy and want more proof of money transfer trails to pronounce guilty etc without aadhar they are boy d to sit on cases for more years to come. The collegium system has ensured very similar characters are preferred to join the gang and we get similar theorists with prejudices.
As for justice chandrachud opining the role of RS. Can he come to RS AND SEE the kind of crooks and criminals who have entered the house of elder through back door ? Are they really subject matter experts and people of eminence who have made to RS. IN FACT THE country has chances of progressing only if we disband RS ANS GO to monocramel system. More disruption and less debate at rs is also because of courts sleeping and seeing it as the first session of parliament and reading the book alone. Impractical lot with bloated egos. Collegium must go. It will destroy the country
The most valuable purposes of Aadhar were: (1) Tracking down BLACK MONEY HOLDERS operating several Bank Accounts under several fictitious names (2) Investigation & apprehending criminal elements in the most scientific way yet
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By setting aside linking of Aadhar to Bank Account & Mobiles, SC has inadvertently (or deliberately?) colluded with corrupt & criminal elements in the society.
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Center should, without delay challenge these two foolish caveats (conditions) without delay
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COURTS SHOULD UNDERSTAND THEY ARE NOT ADMINISTRATIVE BODIES WHICH CAN USURP POWERS OF THE LEGISLATURE. THEY CAN ONLY INTERVENE WHEN THERE ARE GROSS HUMAN RIGHT VIOLATIONS & PERSONAL LIBERTIES.
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Observe who are all celebrating this INEFFECTIVE AADHAR JUDGEMENT.
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I am even forced to doubt the bench delivered this INEFFECTIVE AADHAR VERDICT – whether they did this for a CONSIDERATION!!!!