Former HRD minister and senior advocate Kapil Sibal on Wednesday told the Supreme Court that the digital world is a ‘Jurassic Park’, fraught with ‘unfathomable risks’ and that the ‘beast of technology’ could pose a threat to Aadhar, encrypted with sensitive personal biometric and demographic data. Although there seems to be some merit in his argument, obstructing technological innovations is nothing but regressive. Technology, no doubt, has many pitfalls but turning a blind eye or rejecting it outright is suicidal. The best way forward is to design in adequate security into the system so that no one is allowed to misuse the data.
Sibal and the Congress party may have a political axe to grind. But creating roadblocks for the Aadhar project is definitely not in public interest. Former Infosys official Mohandas Pai has said those who cry their privacy is being compromised through Aadhar by the government should realize that their privacy is already compromised. Technology giants like Google have collected all data related to us are mapping each of our movements. So what is harm in building up our own systems, he asked.
All modern, progressive societies have embraced new technologies with open arms and are investing their resources in research and innovation. For instance, China has embraced smartphone-based services because they improve convenience and access to services. According to reports, the Chinese are taking a step toward streamlining bureaucracy by digitising the national ID card, which is needed as proof of identity for many types of transactions. China, as a pilot project, is introducing a virtual version of the national identification card with the full acceptance and validity as the physical card in Nansha district in Guangzhou. Every Chinese national in mainland China has to apply for a Resident Identity Card upon reaching the age of 16. This national ID card is an official document for personal identification issued by the Public Security Bureau. A media report says the current ID card is the second-generation version that features an embedded chip and digital encryption. It contains personal information including the individual’s name in Chinese characters, gender, ethnicity, date of birth, domicile, identification number, and a colour photo. This can be used to obtain a variety of services.
The Communists in China do not have a problem in taking their country to new technological heights. But, here in India, the Communists have always stood against technology and progress. Even now, the forces behind the anti-Aadhar campaign are Left-leaning NGOs and some Congress politicians. They are the dinosaurs who should be tamed and defanged in the larger interests of the nation.
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