---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Anivar Aravind <ani...@movingrepublic.org>
Date: Tue, 30 Jun 2009 10:38:31 +0530
Subject: Re: [GreenYouth] The Unique ID Card Scheme: The Grave Threats It Poses!
To: free-binayak...@googlegroups.com
Cc: Sukla Sen <sukla....@gmail.com>

>
>> On 6/30/09, geetheshp Nair <geetheshpn...@gmail.com> wrote:
>>> Dear Mr Sukla,
>>>
>>> Why is it a pigheaded scheme? It was BJP who had it in the election
>>> agenda to provide every citizen on the country with Multi Purpose
>>> National Identity (MNIC) cards. Later on congress picked up this idea
>>> and now Mr. Nandan Nilekani is in charge of it. Read the news in
>>> Hindustan times
>>> (http://www.hindustantimes.com/StoryPage/StoryPage.aspx?sectionName=NLetter&id=7dc43fc0-a1cc-4c5a-bb6c-5e6db0eee6ab&Headline=Bye%2c+bye+multiple+IDs%2c+hello+unique+number)



In the Congress manifesto (p. 15), under the "Security" section, it says:
[snip]
Citizenship is a right and a matter of pride. With the huge IT
expertise available in our country, it is possible to provide every
Indian with a unique identity card after the publication of the
national population register in the year 2011.
[/snip]

The BJP manifesto says:
[snip]
National Identity Cards for All

The BJP will launch an innovative programme to establish a countrywide
system of multipurpose national identity cards so as to ensure
national security, correct welfare delivery, accurate tax collection,
financial inclusion and voter registration. Voter identity cards, PAN
cards, passports, ration cards and BPL cards are already in use though
not all with photo identity. The NDA proposes to make it incumbent for
every Indian to have a National Identity Card. The programme will be
completed in three years.

The National Identity Card will contain enough memory and processing
capabilities to run multiple applications. Through it the NDA will
ensure efficient welfare delivery and tax collection. The card will
also be linked to a bank account. All welfare payments, including
widow and old age pensions, through the wide range of schemes such as
Mother and Child support/ Kisan Credit, Students Assistance and
Micro-Credit will be channelised through the National Identity Card.
The card will make it possible for individuals to save and borrow
money; for farmers to get bank credit, also establish accurate land
titles data.

The National Identity Card will also strengthen national security by
ensuring accurate citizen identity, thus tracking illegal immigration.
All financial transactions, purchase of property and access to public
services will be possible only on the basis of the National Identity
Card which will be made forgery and hacking resistant.
[/snip]

The CPI-M manifesto, for comparison, talks of a more restricted identity card:
"Setting up special welfare board for fish workers and providing them
identity cards and social security schemes. . ."

Bruce Schneier has an excellent op-ed on national ID schemes:
<http://bit.ly/D5aHr> and <http://bit.ly/ip5Qr>; as well as a piece in
Wired magazine <http://bit.ly/19Un9C> on why privacy is important.
Prof. Froomkin of the University of Miami has a piece on "Identity
Cards and Identity Romanticism" <http://bit.ly/15IQWJ> on SSRN.  And
if someone is not convinced about the needs for privacy, I would urge
them to read a couple of articles by Daniel Solove (also on SSRN):
"'I've Got Nothing to Hide' and Other Misunderstandings of Privacy"
<http://bit.ly/jQ314> for a rebuttal of the oft-used argument "I don't
do anything illegal, so I needn't worry about surveillance", and
"Understanding Privacy" <http://bit.ly/evyry> for more a more
theoretical discussion of privacy.


>>>
>>> It will make life easier because people dont have to use multiple
>>> cards. Everything will be coded in one card. Let us not be critical of
>>> all good developments. Let the country go smart with new technologies.
>>>
>>> Bye
>>> Geethesh
>>>
>
> >
>

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