Konyak Union (KU) has criticized the policy of the central government in imposing aadhaar as mandatory for availing of government’s welfare facilities claiming that the compulsion was invading the right to privacy.
Reminding Supreme Court verdict, which stated that aadhaar was voluntary and that it cannot be made mandatory “till the matter is finally decided by this court on way or the other”, the KU urged the government to uphold on priority.
In a statement, KU vice president Manlip Konyak and general secretary Honang Konyak expressed discontentment after Konyaks of Myanmar were restricted from going to Mon town on non possession of aadhaar card. In this regard, KU demanded that restriction on non possession of aadhaar card should not be repeated or be imposed within its jurisdiction.
As the sole purpose of aadhaar is to ascertain/legitimise the actual beneficiary for direct benefit transfer, the union pointed out that the issuance of unique identity number has nothing to do in disciplining the citizen “when such numbers are provided to any immigrants randomly”.
Nagaland being Christian state, KU also appealed to NBCC to rethink and act on the issuance of the unique identity number. KU said that the concept of a direct benefit transfer was laudable but it was not possible to implement under its jurisdiction at this juncture. It, therefore, asked the government to take into account the remoteness and backwardness of the region while executing any policies. “We cannot go in parallel with the mainland Indians. Konyak public in particular or Nagas in general should not be victimised on such hurried & rush policy”, KU said.
Also, reminding the special provision granted to the state under article 371A by the Indian constitution, the KU urged the state government to seriously ponder and act in accordance with the special provision or else “we are pumping off our own rights”. KU also appealed to Naga scholars, lawyers, intellectuals and politicians to seriously ponder upon the unique identity numbers and its implication upon Naga society and aspiration.
The union further reiterated that no institution within Konyak jurisdiction will enforce aadhaar card as mandatory.