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Aadhaar, Modi’s magical wand

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Union minister for electronics & information technology and law & justice Ravi Shankar Prasad addresses a press conference on the ‘Achievements of UIDAI’, in New Delhi on January 27. Also seen are minister of state for electronics & information technology and law & justice PP Chaudhary, secretary, ministry of electronics & information technology, Aruna Sundararajan and the director general and mission director, UIDAI, Dr Ajay Bhushan Pandey

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]111 crore UID card-holders; NDA government basks in the warmth of sunny numbers

By Parsa Venkateshwar Rao Jr

Minister for Information Technology Ravi Shankar Prasad seemed and sounded a happy man. He beamed and announced that the number of people in the country who now possess the Aaadhaar number stands at 111 crore out of a population of 125 crore. Remember that 125 crore Indians is the constant refrain of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s never-ending loud litany of the achievements of his less-than-three-year-old government. So 111 crore is music to the ears of this over-enthusiastic government.

Prasad rolled out the numbers at a press conference on Friday afternoon at Electronics Niketan here. Describing the government as a “Government of transformation”, and specifying the effort of the government as one of bridging the “digital divide”, he referred to Aaadhaar as the bridge that will decrease and then do away with the divide.

The minister acknowledged that the Aadhaar was the previous government’s (Congress-led UPA under prime minister Manmohan Singh), but he said that under the previous regime it was a mere digital identity marker and nothing more, that it was PM Modi who had used it effectively to make it a tool for financial and social inclusion.

He said now 99 per cent of the adults in the country have an Aadhaar card, and very soon the rest of the non-adults will come under its ambit as well. He explained in detail how Aaadhaar has been dovetailed to push for the less-cash economy, and synchronizing bank accounts with the Aadhaar number, as well as using it for targeting subsidies and for enabling transactions even without ban accounts and debit cards.

But as he revealed the numbers of Aadhaar-synced bank accounts and subsidies, it became clear that there is a quite a distance to cover. What is indisputable is that this government has pushed the Aadhaar enrolment at a great speed. On May 31, 2014 there were 63.22 crore Aadhaar card-holders. That number stood at 111 crore on January 27, 2017, which was an exact increase of 47.8 crore during the ongoing NDA tenure.

The number of Aadhaar card-holders linked to bank accounts was 6.7 crore on May 31, 2014, but it leapt to 38.51 crore by January 15, 2017. Similarly, the Direct Beneficiary Transfer (DBT), which was again a UPA government initiative, stood at a relatively minuscule Rs 6.3 crore on May 31, 2014, it stands at Rs 150.71 crore on January 15, 2017.

It just goes to show that the Modi government has been efficient in carrying forward the initiatives of the UPA government with near speed of light, a hyperbole no doubt but this government has this manic feeling in every good it does, but that it has not done anything new on its own. Even in the matter of banks linked to Aadhaar facility, the figure stood at 311 in May 2014 and it moved up to 869 on January 15, 2017. It is fancifully described in the press release as Aadhaar Payment Bridge (APB).

There is no doubt that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Prime Minister Modi embraced Aadhaar without reservations. Under the UPA government, the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDA) under Nandan Nilekani, one of the founders of information technology major, was set up in 2009 and it attached to the now disbanded Planning Commission. The NDA government under Modi brought in a legislation by which it turned UIDAI into a statutory authority through the Aadhaar (Targeted Delivery of Financial and Other Subsidies, Benefits and Services) Act, 2016, and it was brought under Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY).  [/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

India News

Abhishek Banerjee says will not bow to BJP after nearly 11 hours of ED questioning

After spending nearly 11 hours before the Enforcement Directorate, TMC leader Abhishek Banerjee said he would not bow to the BJP and accused the ruling party of using investigative agencies for political purposes.

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Abhishek Banerjee

Trinamool Congress leader and Diamond Harbour MP Abhishek Banerjee on Tuesday said he would not bow to the BJP after spending nearly 11 hours being questioned by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with an ongoing investigation.

Speaking after the questioning, Banerjee alleged that central agencies were being used to target opposition leaders and asserted that he would continue his political fight despite what he described as sustained pressure.

The TMC leader has repeatedly maintained that investigations involving him are politically motivated, a charge he has made on several previous occasions while appearing before central agencies.

His appearance before the ED comes amid a period of heightened political activity and multiple investigations involving leaders in West Bengal. Recent days have also seen Banerjee face summons and questioning in separate matters by state investigative agencies.

After leaving the ED office, Banerjee reiterated that he would not be intimidated and said he remained committed to his political responsibilities. He also accused the BJP of attempting to weaken opposition parties through investigative action, an allegation that the BJP has rejected in the past.

The Enforcement Directorate has not publicly commented on Banerjee’s remarks. The investigation related to the questioning remains ongoing.

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India News

DMK attacks Rahul Gandhi, accuses him of weakening opposition unity

DMK has intensified its criticism of Rahul Gandhi, alleging that the Congress leader’s actions have weakened opposition unity and strained relations within the INDIA bloc.

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Rahul-Gandhi

The war of words between the DMK and Congress has intensified, with the DMK launching a strong attack on Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi and accusing him of contributing to divisions within the opposition alliance. The criticism comes amid strained ties between the two parties following their political split in Tamil Nadu.

According to the DMK, Rahul Gandhi’s political approach has weakened unity among opposition parties. The party’s IT wing mocked the Congress leader on social media, while an editorial published in the DMK’s official mouthpiece Murasoli questioned his recent remarks on opposition solidarity.

DMK questions Rahul Gandhi’s remarks on opposition unity

In its editorial, Murasoli argued that Rahul Gandhi was speaking about opposition unity despite, according to the DMK, contributing to disagreements among alliance partners in several states. The publication cited criticism directed at Congress by various opposition parties and suggested that the party’s actions had often created tensions within the INDIA bloc.

The editorial also referred to past political disputes involving Congress and Left parties, particularly in Kerala, claiming such episodes had raised concerns among opposition allies about Congress’s approach toward its partners.

Tamil Nadu political fallout adds to tensions

The attack comes after a major political realignment in Tamil Nadu. Following the 2026 Assembly elections, Congress ended its alliance with the DMK and joined the government led by Vijay’s Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK). The move left the DMK in the opposition and significantly altered the political equation between the two former allies.

The DMK has alleged that Congress benefited from the alliance during the election and later abandoned its partner. The party’s editorial questioned whether assurances from Congress leadership would be trusted by alliance partners after the developments in Tamil Nadu.

Congress rejects allegations

Congress has not issued a detailed official response to the editorial, but party sources have rejected the allegations. According to the party, its decisions in Tamil Nadu were made in line with the mandate delivered by voters and were not intended to undermine either the DMK or the broader opposition alliance.

The latest exchange highlights growing strains between two key opposition parties even as leaders continue to stress cooperation on national issues. Just days earlier, Rahul Gandhi had said that the DMK remained aligned with the opposition on defending the “idea of India” despite political differences.

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Entertainment

Kumkum Bhagya actor Sanchita Ugale dies by suicide near Mumbai at 22

Television actor Sanchita Ugale, known for Kumkum Bhagya and Wagle Ki Duniya, died by suicide at her residence near Mumbai. Police have launched an investigation.

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Sanchita Ugale

Television actor Sanchita Ugale, known for her appearances in Kumkum Bhagya, Wagle Ki Duniya and Dilwali Dulha Le Jayegi, died by suicide at her residence in Nalasopara East near Mumbai on June 14. She was 22.

According to police officials, the incident took place at her home in Achole village, Nalasopara East. Authorities said Ugale had locked herself inside her bedroom and was later found hanging from a ceiling fan. Family members and local residents rushed her to a hospital, where doctors declared her dead.

Police have registered an Accidental Death Report (ADR) and launched an investigation into the circumstances surrounding her death. Officials said inquiries are underway and the exact reason behind the incident has not yet been established.

Career across television, OTT and films

Ugale had built a growing presence in the entertainment industry through television, streaming projects and films. Apart from Kumkum Bhagya and Wagle Ki Duniya, she played a lead role in Dilwali Dulha Le Jayegi. She also appeared in OTT projects such as Crime Aaj Kal and Silence 2.

The actor was also associated with the film Chhaava, which contributed to her growing recognition among audiences.

Last social media post draws attention

Following news of her death, social media users shared and commented on Ugale’s final Instagram post, which had been uploaded hours before the incident. The post showed the actor in traditional attire lip-syncing to a classic Bollywood song. Fans expressed shock and grief after learning of her death.

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