"All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing".
Edmund Burke
"Among a people generally corrupt liberty cannot long exist".
Edmund Burke
“In matters of conscience, the law of the majority has no place.”
Mahatma Gandhi

"Democracy was the greatest gift of our freedom struggle to the people of India. Independence made the nation free. Democracy made our people free. A free people are a people who are governed by their will and ruled with their consent. A free people are a people who participate in decisions affecting their lives and their destinies".
Rajiv Gandhi
Hi-tech without Panchayati Raj is just a bogus stunt for geeks and nerds."
Mani Shankar Aiyar, Congress leader

Wednesday, December 1, 2010

FISH POND



Kindly Endorse: Citizens against UID / Aadhaar
Fish Pond

Endorse this citizen statement on UID by commenting here or sending a mail to anivar at movingrepublic.org

We, representatives of people’ movements, mass organizations, institutions and concerned individuals including all the undersigned strongly oppose the potential tracking and profiling based techno-governance tools such as the Unique Identification number (UID) by the Government of India and the manner in which legitimate democratic processes have been undermined through this.

The proposed UID project seems to be perched on an anti-people perspective and violates a number of basic rights guaranteed under Part III of the Constitution of India including Articles 14, 15, 17, 19 and 21 viz., the Rights to equality, dignity, privacy, expression and the right not to be discriminated against, The project seems to be aimed at profiling people by pooling in biometric and retinal data pertaining to an individual and could be potentially discriminatory in a country where caste identity is the most predominant socio-political marker. Further, it is a travesty on the dignity and privacy of individuals. At another level, given the fact that more than one third of our population live below the substantial level called “poverty line” and without literacy & numeracy, a large section of our population would find itself unable to handle this number in a meaningful way and thus face the danger of virtually stripped of their citizenship and thereby the very legitimacy of their existence on the land of this country.

This project which has been launched at a budgeted cost of INR 1900 Crores for the year 2010-2011 in a country where the Government has officially declared that 400 million of its citizens are living below poverty line is , thus an insult to the dignity of the Peoples of India. The project headed by a person of the rank of the Union Cabinet Minister, whose appointment was not transparent and a staff overhead of more than 100 is also working under the most non-transparent processes and we fear that the decisions are made and influenced by vested private and corporate interests who have had a record of anti-people and anti-democratic activities. There is no wide public discussion on the feasibility or desirability of the project.

It is in this context that we have serious objections to the way the decadal census process is being used to pitch the UID process and no discussion on this has happened in any of the democratic forums including the Parliament, which also transgresses n the right to dignity and privacy of individuals and their choice to opt out of the UID process. If the UID continues to be tagged with the Census process – we would also consider boycotting the same. It is a matter of great concern that the powers that be have deliberately kept silent on the inter linkage between the UID and current mode of census

In this situation it is not clear which decisions are being made by the private sector or by the elected representatives. There are proposals within this project that will result in changes to the PDS, food subsidy, MGNREGS etc are being put forward by the Planning commission and UIDAI. They suggest that instead of food grains, cash subsidies must be given to beneficiaries which can be encashed at public or private sector shops.

In the past the changes in policy were achieved through influence and lobbying, but now entrepreneurs have been appointed as non-politicians with cabinet rank. While the project was hailed as a “gamechanger” and a welfare measure, the public at large have expressed growing concerns about the UID and its implications for ordinary citizens. Many questions are being raised about the nature, status and aims of the scheme. Countries such as the UK, Australia and the USA have found similar measures unworkable due to the serious probability of abuse and the strong opposition of the public. There is a huge expenditure proposed for the UID. The UID would affect every citizen. We as groups and individuals feel the need to engage the larger public in an open discussion about the UID and its proposed scope, implementation, benefits and risks. We are also mobilising public opinion on issues and concerns about the UID.
We the undersigned demand that

the UID project be scrapped with immediate effect
all the transactions undertaken by the UIDAI project be scrutinized by an accountable public body from the democratic governance structure in a transparent manner taking into consideration the concerns of the all the peoples before venturing into the implementation stage
the financial and technological implications and the costs incurred so far, including details of contracts entered into with respect to the UID project be made transparent
the Census and UID project be forthwith de-linked
Endorsed by

Moving Republic, Bangalore
Centre for Internet and Society, Bangalore
Citizens Action Forum, Bangalore
PUCL, Karnataka.
Slum Janandolana
Alternative Law Forum, Bangalore
Indian Social Action Forum (INSAF)
PEACE, New Delhi
Manthan Adhyayan Kendra, Badvani(MP)
South Indian Cell for Human Rights Education & Monitoring (SICHREM), bangalore
Posco Prathirodh Sangram Samithi, Orissa
Adivasi Mulvasi Astitva Raksha Manch, Jharkhand
Himalaya Niti Abhiyan, Himachal Pradesh
National Hawkers Federation
Kerala Swathanthra Matsya Thozhilali Federation (KSMTF)
Nagpur Municipal Corporation Employees Union
Nadi Ghati Morcha, Chhattisgarh
Peoples’ Solidarity Concerns- Bangalore
People’s Watch
ANHAD
Sudhanthra ( A Rehabilitation Centre for Victims of Domestic Violence and Torture’).
Janvikas, Orissa
Other Media Communications, Bangalore
Visual search, Bangalore
Theeradesa MahilaVedi, Kerala
National Coastal Women’s Movement, Chennai
Alliance of women’s right in Disaster(ANWORD), Chennai
Kerala Tourism watch
Dalit Women’s Forum, Andhra Pradesh
Centre for Education and Documentation, Mumbai
IPTA (Bihar)
EKTA (commitee for communal amity), Mumbai
EQATIONS, Bangalore
Openspace, Bangalore
Rajadhari Basti Uriyan Parishad, Orissa
Chhattisgarh Kisan Mazdoor Vikas Kendra
Asangatit karmakar Shramik Union, UP
Munsikhan Mawat vikas Community Foundation, Alwar, Rajasthan
Pondichery Slum Dwellers Federation
Himpravesh, solar, Himachal Pradesh
Chhattisgarh Action Reserch Team (CART), Raipur
ViBGYOR Film Collective, Kerala
Adivasi, Sarumgi Vikas Sangh, Gujarat
Samata, Orissa
Society for Culture & Development, Kerala
Youth Initiative for Leadership Training, Kerala
Patabhedam Magazine, Calicut, Kerala
Global Alternate Information Applications(GAIA), Thrissur, Kerala
Kabani – The Other Direction, Kerala
Pedestrian Pictures, Bangalore
Just Peace Foundation, Manipur
Concern, IISc, Bangalore
New Socialist Alternative, Karnataka
Infochange India
Privacy Network in Asia
Countercurrents.org
Deccan Development Society
Jananeethi, Thrissur
ANEEK monthly journal, West Bengal
Urban Research Centre, Bangalore.
MEDIA ACTION GROUP.

Individuals
Anivar Aravind
Vinay Byndoor,
Vinay Srinivasa
Bobby Kunju
Chittaranjan Singh (PUCL-UP)
Hiren Gandhi , Darsan, Ahamedabad
shabnam hasmi
Dr SINILAM , KSS, INSOCO, Kerala
Sakthiman Ghosh, Kolkotta
Raajen singh , Social Activist, Mumbai
Sarasila Pradhan, Orissa
Animanand Ekka, Chhattisgarh
Surekha Kanwar, Chhattisgarh
Kumud Nandgave, Raipur, Chattisgarh
Sanjay Sachan, Laxmi Grameena Vikas Samsthan, UP
Azma Azis, UP
Jannu Anand , nagpur
Deen Dayal Vyas, Chethana Sansthan, Alwar, Rajasthan
Dharmapat Ranjit, Kandhamal, Orissa
Rajan, Indo Global Social Service Society, bangalore’
Subaih Dehariya, Villege Andol, Madhya Pradesh
Bhuvanlal Dehariya,Villege Andol, Madhya Pradesh
Ramsumes Pal, Madhya Pradesh
M. Latha Mageswari, Mahila Milan, Pondicheri
P. Satyakama , WORD, Puduchery
J.S Dhukhia, Solar, Himachal Prasesh
Bibin K R Rai , Officer, Urban Poverty IGSSS, New Delhi
Dr Mohan Sigh Panwar, Daliyon ka Daghiya , Uttarkhat
RP Sahi, Participatory Action Group, Lucknow
waheeda Rehman, Jan Swaraj Trust, Ahmedabad
Qureshi Mohd. Arif, Jan Swaraj Trust, Ahmedabad
Asha Makade, Chhattisgarh Action Reserch Team (CART), Raipur
Vijayakumar H Kulkarni, Karnataka
Deliakar, CNDP, New Delhi
Alok Mohanti , Orissa
Imran khan, Journalist, Indian Express
Indu Praksh Singh
Ruchi Gupta
Dr. T T Sreekumar, National University of Singapore
Anil Tharayath Varghese, Delhi
Sebin Abraham Jacob
Pushpa Achanta, Bangalore
Anand Bala, Banagalore
Mahtab Alam, Civil Rights’ Activist and Journalist
P K Sundaram, Ph.D. Researcher, JNU
Sravanthi Kollu, Bangalore.
Praveen Arimbrathodiyil, REDHAT, Pune
Javed Iqbal, Mumbai
Ashik S, Software Engineer, Thiruvananthapuram
John Samuel, Infochange News and Features
Anusha Hariharan,JNU, New Delhi
K. Rahul Sharma, TERI University, New Delhi
Smitha.Nair, JNU, Delhi
Anu Fern
Sadik P K
Jenny Rowena, Miranda House, Univ of Delhi
Gopal Krishna, ToxicsWatch Alliance, New Delhi
Nidhi Agarwal, Environment Research and Action Collective, Himachal Pradesh.
Deepa Vasudevan, Kerala
Neelan, chief executive Editor, amrita News , amrita T.V , Trivandrum, Kerala
R. Ramakumar, Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai
Sukla Sen, Mumbai
Malish C M, IIT Delhi, New Delhi
J. T. D’souza , Mumbai
Vickram Crishna , Mumbai
Shazia Nigar, student, Delhi University.
S. Sanjeev, Thiruvananthapuram
Asit , New delhi
Uditi Sen, kolkata & London
Seema Duhan
Dhanraj Keezhara, bangalore
Ishteyaque
George Perin
Asoke P. Chattopadhyay
Gitanjali Priti Bhatia
Prayag Mehta
Jean Fouere, Ireland
jacob Lazer
S V RAJADURAI,Writer
Jenna Gunnell
Binu Karunakaran
Jinesh K J
Amjad Khan
K. Satchidanandan, poet, New Delhi
Riyaz Usman
Mirza A. Beg, Jaunpur India and Tuscaloosa, USA
Divya Sharma
Ravi Shukla
Vivek sundara
P Radhakrishnan
Mohamed Thalib H
Gulam Mitha
Aporup Acharya
Regina Lambert
Ahmed Sohaib
Abdul Basit
D.Leena, New Delhi
Rana Bose
P K Vijayan
Paco Rodriguez
Hassan Koya
Saswati Swetlena
Amitadyuti Kumar, President, Association for Protection of Democratic Rights (APDR) Hooghly District Committee
Harish Singh, Bangalore
Harjinder Singh (Laltu)
George Pulikuthiyil, Thrissur
Dr. B.C.Mehta
Syed Ali Mujtaba
Vilas Sukhadeve, Nagpur
Rahul Menon
Mushtaq Mohammed Khan
shaheen khan
Manoj Puravankara, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY, USA
Sandeep Singh, All india students Association (AISA)
Tanushree Gangopadhyay
Bhagwad Jal Park
Dilip Mandal
Karthik Ramanathan, University of Massachusetts Lowell
Ravi, Software Developer, New Delhi
Arunkumar K
Anil Ennakkad
Rita Manchanda, Safhr ( India)
KS Subramanian.
Joseph Chenakala, Social Activist, Belgaum
C.Raja
Chitra, PhD Scholar, TISS, Mumbai
Uma V Chandru, Bangalore
Vibha Iyer, Progressive Students’ Union
Prabhat Sharan
Renu Ramanath
B.R.P.Bhaskar
Dipankar Chakrabarti (Editor, ANEEK)
Debarshi Ray, Free Software Developer
Lalit Batra, City University of New York
Kalyani Menon-Sen, Gurgaon
Abhijit Menon Sen
Sushovan Dhar
Shalila Raj
Jamlan, Tamil Nadu
Janet Surman
Kumarathasan
K. Nagarajan
Arun M, Thiruvananthapuram
faisal khan, NAPM,Asha parivar
Dr. Manas Sardar, Materials Physics Division, Indira Gandhi Center for Atomic Reseach, Kalpakkam 603102
Kavita Krishnnan, AIPWA
Mohammad Askari
Aditya Sarkar
Suman Chakma
Jaspal Singh Sidhu
P K Vijayan
Arasu Balraj, Chennai.
Rohan DSouza

April 28th, 2010 | Category: governmentality, movements | (10 votes, average: 4.80 out of 5)
147 comments to Kindly Endorse: Citizens against UID / Aadhaar
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