Mamata questions Centre on making Aadhaar compulsory for availing services

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Friday questioned the Bharatiya Janata Party-led NDA government over making Aadhaar cards mandatory for availing Centre’s aid schemes and other services.

Banerjee asked the Centre whether the implementation of compulsory Aadhaar has lessened the number of militants infiltrating into the country.

"They (Centre) have made Aadhaar compulsory for everything. But have they (Centre) with this decision been able to bring down the number of terrorists entering the country?" Banerjee asked.

Also Read  Government serious about protecting Aadhaar data: Ravi Shankar Prasad 

Banerjee has been condemning the Union government’s pet policy and its decision to make Aadhaar compulsory. She accused the Centre of interfering in the rights of the people and violating their privacy.

The chief minister had said that linking of personal details with Aadhaar number was "dangerous" for individuals and the society.

In 2017, Banerjee slammed the Narendra Modi government at the Centre for implementing Aadhaar cards in primary schools and ICDS centres. Several activists and others had criticised the Aadhaar policy on privacy concern.

Supreme Court in 2017, came down hard on the Mamata Banerjee-led West Bengal government for challenging the constitutional validity of Aadhaar and emphasised that a state cannot challenge a law passed by the Union government.

Read More | Aadhaar scheme approved by Experts: Centre to Supreme Court 

“Individual can file petition against the Act but not a state government. Let chief minister Mamata Banerjee file plea as a citizen and we will hear her petition,” the bench pronounced.

(With inputs from agencies)