The Centre’s policy to link Aadhaar numbers to bank accounts and filing of Income Tax returns came under severe criticism from Opposition members in the Rajya Sabha on Monday as they alleged that the Government was trying to snoop on people through provisions of the Finance Bill on widespread use of Aadhaar.
During the discussion on the Finance Bill, Congress leader Kapil Sibal said by linking bank accounts and filing of Income Tax returns to Aadhaar, the Government has violated the Supreme Court orders and it would have huge consequences on the security and privacy of the general public.
“We fear for ourselves, because what would happen once an Aadhaar number is given — you would have software, which, on the basis of that Aadhaar number, would tell you where that person is going, from which flight to which place and what activities he is following! If you say you must give it to the bank as well, then even banking transactions could be hacked. Now, if the Pentagon can be hacked, why not the AadhaarIJ Anything can be hacked. The hackers are well ahead of you. And you can imagine the kind of havoc it would cause,” Sibal said
He argued that the UPA Government had introduced Aadhaar only for the Public Distribution System and it was meant for subsidies to reach targeted people. “That was the purpose of Aadhaar, not for you to pry into the affairs of others, not for you to find out where you are going and what you are doing. We are not living in a Police State,” Sibal said
The other Opposition parties also attacked Government on this issue. CPI(M) member Sitaram Yechury accused the Government of “smuggling in non-financial matters, non-tax matters into the Finance Bill, and by defining the Finance Bill, depriving the Rajya Sabha of its right to discuss these matters.” He added that Aadhaar insistence is leading to the creation of a surveillance State in India.
“It is violative of my fundamental right to liberty that this Constitution provides. My privacy is being violated by this Aadhaar. Anybody with my Aadhaar number can access all details, including my financial details, my personal details, my social details like where I take a holiday, if, at all, I take one or where I spent how much of money. All that is under the State surveillance,” Yechury said.
Government’s other policies like new norms on donations to the political parties by the business houses too came under attack. “The provision says that every company shall disclose in its profit and loss account, the total amount contributed by it under this Section during the financial year to which the accounts relate. That is all. Which party it is going to, nobody will know. Even the shareholders will not know because it will be reflected in the profit and loss account,” Sibal said.
He went on to add that since the names of the party will not be reflected in account and only the amount will be reflected, this was the surest way to ensure that the political party in power gets all the funding that it needs.
“Companies who are crying for contracts, companies against whom proceedings are going to take place, companies who are financially in bad shape, companies where restructuring is going to be done will be asked to pay money into the kitty of a political party without the name being disclosed and there would be financial havoc. You are playing with the economy of the country; you are playing with the future of the economic fabric of this nation,” Sibal said.
He added that the Government was trying to promote crony capitalism and creating fear by giving “unbridled power” to taxmen.
Terming Centre’s move on electoral reforms on political donations and electoral bonds as Rsgimmicks’, Yechury said it will not make any substantial difference. “It is again a very fishy exercise because who buys the bonds and to whom he gives, nobody knows except the Government of the day through the bank,” Yechury added.
Satish Chandra Misra of the Bahujan Samaj Party too raised the issue of political funding, loss of jobs in the reserved category due to privatisation, rising unemployment. Naresh Aggarwal of Samjwadi Party raised the issue of EVMs while pointing out that Government policies like digital India have failed to deliver.