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Linking Aadhaar to services “must be criminalized”, says Edward Snowden

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7 years ago

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Linking Aadhaar to services “must be criminalized”, says Edward Snowden

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]In yet another major blow at the central government’s Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI), American whistleblower-in-exile Edward Snowden on Sunday hit out at the Aadhaar card through a series of posts on Twitter. Terming Aadhaar as “an improper gate to service”, the former US National Security Agency contractor stated that the demands to link unique numbers with services “must be criminalized”.

Linking an online article written by former Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW) chief KC Verma, Snowden wrote on Twitter, “Rarely do former intel chiefs and I agree, but the head of India’s RAW writes #Aadhaar is being abused by banks, telcos, and transport not to police entitlements, but as a proxy for identity–an improper gate to service. Such demands must be criminalized.”[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_raw_html]JTNDYmxvY2txdW90ZSUyMGNsYXNzJTNEJTIydHdpdHRlci10d2VldCUyMiUyMGRhdGEtbGFuZyUzRCUyMmVuJTIyJTNFJTNDcCUyMGxhbmclM0QlMjJlbiUyMiUyMGRpciUzRCUyMmx0ciUyMiUzRVJhcmVseSUyMGRvJTIwZm9ybWVyJTIwaW50ZWwlMjBjaGllZnMlMjBhbmQlMjBJJTIwYWdyZWUlMkMlMjBidXQlMjB0aGUlMjBoZWFkJTIwb2YlMjBJbmRpYSUyNiUyMzM5JTNCcyUyMFJBVyUyMHdyaXRlcyUyMCUzQ2ElMjBocmVmJTNEJTIyaHR0cHMlM0ElMkYlMkZ0d2l0dGVyLmNvbSUyRmhhc2h0YWclMkZBYWRoYWFyJTNGc3JjJTNEaGFzaCUyNmFtcCUzQnJlZl9zcmMlM0R0d3NyYyUyNTVFdGZ3JTIyJTNFJTIzQWFkaGFhciUzQyUyRmElM0UlMjBpcyUyMGJlaW5nJTIwYWJ1c2VkJTIwYnklMjBiYW5rcyUyQyUyMHRlbGNvcyUyQyUyMGFuZCUyMHRyYW5zcG9ydCUyMG5vdCUyMHRvJTIwcG9saWNlJTIwZW50aXRsZW1lbnRzJTJDJTIwYnV0JTIwYXMlMjBhJTIwcHJveHklMjBmb3IlMjBpZGVudGl0eSVFMiU4MCU5M2FuJTIwaW1wcm9wZXIlMjBnYXRlJTIwdG8lMjBzZXJ2aWNlLiUyMFN1Y2glMjBkZW1hbmRzJTIwbXVzdCUyMGJlJTIwY3JpbWluYWxpemVkLiUyMCUzQ2ElMjBocmVmJTNEJTIyaHR0cHMlM0ElMkYlMkZ0LmNvJTJGclJTbjQyWExsUSUyMiUzRWh0dHBzJTNBJTJGJTJGdC5jbyUyRnJSU240MlhMbFElM0MlMkZhJTNFJTNDJTJGcCUzRSUyNm1kYXNoJTNCJTIwRWR3YXJkJTIwU25vd2RlbiUyMCUyOCU0MFNub3dkZW4lMjklMjAlM0NhJTIwaHJlZiUzRCUyMmh0dHBzJTNBJTJGJTJGdHdpdHRlci5jb20lMkZTbm93ZGVuJTJGc3RhdHVzJTJGOTU1MDUwNDU1NDkwNTQ3NzEyJTNGcmVmX3NyYyUzRHR3c3JjJTI1NUV0ZnclMjIlM0VKYW51YXJ5JTIwMjElMkMlMjAyMDE4JTNDJTJGYSUzRSUzQyUyRmJsb2NrcXVvdGUlM0UlMEElM0NzY3JpcHQlMjBhc3luYyUyMHNyYyUzRCUyMmh0dHBzJTNBJTJGJTJGcGxhdGZvcm0udHdpdHRlci5jb20lMkZ3aWRnZXRzLmpzJTIyJTIwY2hhcnNldCUzRCUyMnV0Zi04JTIyJTNFJTNDJTJGc2NyaXB0JTNFJTIwJTBB[/vc_raw_html][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Later in the day, Snowden linked a post tweeted by the UIDAI official handle on January 17 and replied to it depicting the flaws in the design of information flow with Aadhaar.

On January 17, UIDAI shared a post from its official Twitter handle, saying, “#Aadhaar is an identifier, not a profiling tool. Aadhaar database does not keep any information about bank accounts, shares, mutual funds, property details, health records, family details, religion, caste, education etc. #AadhaarMythBuster.” Snowden quoted this tweet and wrote: “That might be true if banks, landlords, hospitals, schools, telephone & internet companies were prohibited by law from asking for your #Aadhaar number. But any Indian can tell you they’re asked for their number by non-government entities–and those companies have databases too.”

Responding to the UIDAI tweet, Snowden said, “That might be true if banks, landlords, hospitals, schools, telephone & internet companies were prohibited by law from asking for your #Aadhaar number. But any Indian can tell you they’re asked for their number by non-government entities––and those companies have databases too.”[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_raw_html]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[/vc_raw_html][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Snowden’s fresh jibe at Aadhaar came days after The Tribune reporter Rachna Khaira has depicted how anonymous sellers over WhatsApp were allegedly providing Aadhaar details for a fee. She claimed that Rs 500 and 10 minutes got an access to almost every detail of any individual submitted to the UIDAI – including name, address, postal code (PIN), photo, phone number and email.

UIDAI registered an FIR against the newspaper, its reporter Rachna Khaira and her sources: Anil Kumar, Sunil Kumar and Raj, the people contacted during the course of reporting under IPC Sections 419 (punishment for cheating by impersonation), 420 (cheating), 468 (forgery) and 471 (using as genuine a forged document), as well Section 66 of the IT Act and Section 36/37 of the Aadhaar Act.

Coming out in support of the publication and its reporter, Snowden at that time tweeted that the journalist should be awarded and not probed for digging out the truth.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_raw_html]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[/vc_raw_html][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]“The journalists exposing the #Aadhaar breach deserve an award, not an investigation. If the government were truly concerned for justice, they would be reforming the policies that destroyed the privacy of a billion Indians. Want to arrest those responsible? They are called @UIDAI,” wrote Snowden.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

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Rahul Gandhi says air pollution in North India a national emergency, tourism declining, global reputation crumbling

“We need a collective national response, not political blame games,” the Congress leader said on his X handle.

Published

28 mins ago

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November 22, 2024

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Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Friday said the air pollution in North India is a national emergency that needs a collective national response and not a political blame game. The Congress leader added that due to air pollution tourism is declining and “our global reputation is crumbling”.

It is a public health crisis that is stealing children’s future and suffocating the elderly, Gandhi said, adding an environmental and economic disaster that is ruining countless lives.

“As Parliament meets in a few days, MPs will all be reminded of the crisis by our irritated eyes and sore throats. It is our responsibility to come together and discuss how India can end this crisis once and for all,” the Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha said.

The former Congress chief said the poorest “among us suffer the most”, unable to escape the toxic air surrounding them. Families are gasping for clean air, children are falling sick, and millions of lives are being cut short, he added.

The Rae Bareli MP noted that the pollution cloud covers hundreds of kilometres. He said cleaning it up will require major changes and decisive action from governments, companies, experts, and citizens.

“We need a collective national response, not political blame games,” the Congress leader said on his X handle.

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India News

Indian Navy submarine collides with fishing boat near Goa coast, 2 fishermen missing

A spokesperson from the Navy told the media that eleven crew have been rescued so far.

Published

59 mins ago

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November 22, 2024

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Indian Navy submarine collides with fishing boat near Goa coast, 2 fishermen missing

Indian Navy officials on Friday said that an Indian fishing vessel with a crew of 13 collided with an Indian Naval submarine near the Goa coast. 

Following the incident, a massive search and rescue operation has been launched by the Indian Navy, which has deployed six ships and aircraft. Reportedly, while 11 crew have been rescued, two are still missing.

The Ministry of Defence issued a statement and said that the vessel, Marthoma, collided with a Scorpene-class submarine about 70 nautical miles off the Goa coast. It added that search and rescue efforts for the remaining two are underway and are being coordinated with Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre Mumbai (MRCC). It further mentioned that additional assets including from the Coast Guard have been diverted to the area to augment the efforts.

The statement said that the cause of the incident is being investigated. Notably, Scorpene-class submarines are a major part of India’s naval power in the Indian Ocean as they can undertake multifarious types of missions, including anti-surface warfare, anti-submarine warfare, intelligence gathering, mine laying, and area surveillance.

Reports said that the state-of-the-art technology utilised for the construction of the Scorpene-class submarines has ensured superior stealth features such as advanced acoustic silencing techniques, low radiated noise levels, hydro-dynamically optimized shape and the ability to launch a crippling attack on the enemy using precision-guided weapons. Furthermore, the attack can be launched with both torpedoes and tube-launched anti-ship missiles, whilst underwater or on the surface.

Meanwhile, the Indian Navy in its statement said that 13 crew members were aboard the fishing vessel at the time of the collision. It added that while 11 crew have been rescued so far, two fishermen are still reported missing.

A spokesperson from the Navy told the media that eleven crew have been rescued so far. He stated that search and rescue efforts for the remaining two crew members of Marthoma are in progress and are being coordinated with the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC), Mumbai. Additional assets including from the Coast Guard have been diverted to the area to augment the efforts, he continued.

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10 Naxalites killed in encounter in Chhattisgarh’s Sukma

The District Reserve Guard (DRG) and the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) continue their search operation in the area.

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1 hour ago

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November 22, 2024

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Ten Naxalites were killed in an encounter with security forces in the Sukma district of Chhattisgarh on Friday.

The confrontation started in the morning within a forest area under the jurisdiction of the Bhejji police station, where a joint operation was being conducted by security personnel as part of an anti-Naxalite initiative, according to Inspector General of Police (Bastar Range) Sundarraj P. 

This operation was initiated following intelligence regarding the presence of Maoists connected to the Konta and Kistaram area committees, situated in the forested regions around Korajguda, Dantespuram, Nagaram, and Bhandarpadar villages.

So far, the bodies of ten Naxalites have been recovered at the scene. Additionally, a significant cache of weapons was seized, including an INSAS rifle, an AK-47, and a Self Loading Rifle (SLR). 

The District Reserve Guard (DRG) and the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) continue their search operation in the area. This incident contributes to the year-to-date total of 207 Naxalite fatalities recorded in various clashes across the Bastar region of Chhattisgarh, comprising seven districts. 

On Wednesday, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai met with Union Home Minister Amit Shah in the national capital, North Block. Their discussion focused on developmental progress in Naxal-affected areas of Chhattisgarh and efforts aimed at enhancing peace and stability in these regions. 

The Chief Minister emphasised that both the state government and security forces are diligently working to eradicate Naxal influence in Chhattisgarh, aligning with the Union Home Minister’s commitment to eliminate Naxalism by 2026.

“I met with Union Home Minister Amit Shah and updated him about the Naxal activities in Chhattisgarh. Over the past 11 months, close to 200 Naxals have been neutralized, and approximately 600-700 have surrendered. We are making significant strides towards the goal set by the Prime Minister and Home Minister to achieve a Naxal-free India by March 2026,” CM Sai told reporters following the meeting.

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