SHILLONG, AUG 17: The Meghalaya People’s Committee on Aadhaar (MPCA) on Wednesday decided to submit a report to the Supreme Court against the state government’s alleged attempt to forcefully make Aadhaar mandatory in the state.
The MPCA, a conglomeration of social organizations demanding immediate revoking of the centre’s Aadhaar project, has observed that the action of the state government is in total violation against the Supreme Court’s interim order which had clearly stated – ‘Aadhaar be made voluntary’.
Addressing newsmen, MPCA convener PBM Basaiawmoit said, “We have decided to soon submit a report on the attempts of the state government to make Aadhaar mandatory to the Supreme Court for its necessary intervention as the ape court interim order on the issue still stand till today.”
He pointed out that the content of the proposed report will highlight the instances where the state government is trying to link the implementation of the National Population Register (NPR) with Aadhaar.
“The report will also include the recent advertisement of the Directorate of Higher and Technical Education (DHTE) making Aadhaar compulsory for students to avail scholarship besides the statement of the deputy commissioner, West Jaintia Hills District made in social media where he tried to interpret the interim order on Aadhaar,” Basaiawmoit said.
In addition, the MPCA co-covener Auguster Jyrwa, who is also the general secretary of the KSU said that the union had recently wrote to the authorities concerned to exempt students as was done in neighbouring states like Assam.
On the other hand, TUR member Rev K Pyrtuh said that the committee is seeking immediate revoking of the entire Aadhaar project of the centre government on two grounds – its cost and its attempt to intrude into the right of privacy of the citizens.
“The project is found not to be in the interest of the citizens but it seeks to profile and control the population. If implemented it will surely affect our right to privacy which is also a fundamental right,” he said.
He also said recently in the Rajya Sabha when the issue was raised questioning the implication of making Aadhaar card mandatory, the Union Minister V Naidu had assured that it was not mandatory and if required necessary direction will be given to all government departments.
The committee in the past few months had also conducted awareness on the implementation of Aadhaar in several villages across the Khasi and Jaintia Hills region.
According to the committee members, the feedback received from the villagers was that there has been attempt by government officials to misinform the public that if they do not get Aadhaar card, they would be deprived of many benefits including rations.-By Our Reporter
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