---------- 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 >>> > > > > --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Green Youth Movement" group. To post to this group, send email to greenyouth@googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to greenyouth+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/greenyouth?hl=en-GB -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---