KOLKATA: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday termed the linking of 12-digit Aadhaar number with mobile numbers and bank accounts as ‘dangerous’.
Hitting out at the Narendra Modi government, the Trinamool Congress supremo said the situation was like ‘Tughlaqi Raj’ and “We don’t know why such acts are taking place. We already have the PAN card, voter ID card. But I believe what is taking place in the name of the Aadhaar card will be dangerous for any individual and society.”
Referring to the recent breach of data, Banerjee said, “They will listen to all personal talks…what a mother and daughter are talking, husband-wife coversation. I support one card system. There can’t be 10 cards. But they are putting everything on social media in the name of Aadhar card.”
The Unique Identification Authority of India more than 200 central and state government websites publicly displayed details such as names and addresses of some Aadhaar beneficiaries.
The Aadhaar issuing body added, in response to an RTI query, that it took note of the breach and got the data removed from those websites.
It did not specify when the breach took place.
It said Aadhaar details have never been made public from/by UIDAI.
The Supreme Court on October 30 had come down hard on the Mamata Banerjee government for filing a plea challenging the Centre’s move to make Aadhaar mandatory for availing benefits of social welfare schemes, saying it was against the federal structure.
The top court had asked how a state can challenge the mandate of Parliament and said the West Bengal Chief Minister could file the plea as an individual.
“How can a state file such a plea. In a federal structure, how can a state file a plea challenging Parliament’s mandate,” a bench comprising Justices AK Sikri and Ashok Bhushan said.
The Centre has told apex court that the deadline for mandatory linking of Aadhaar to avail benefits of various government schemes has been extended till March 31 next year for those who do not have the 12-digit biometric identification number.
It had said that the deadline extension from December end till March 31, 2018, would apply only to those who do not have Aadhaar and are willing to enrol for it.
Several petitions, challenging the Centre’s move to make Aadhaar mandatory for welfare schemes and notifications to link it with mobile numbers and bank accounts, are pending in the apex court.
Bureau Report
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