[So, shoot the messenger, anyway. To intimidate. Then issue "clarifications' only to obfuscate.
《An impression is being created in media that UIDAI "is targeting the media or whistleblowers or 'shooting the messenger'. This is not at all true," the authority's statement said. But it also underlined a person's guilt or innocence could only be decided after a police probe and trial. ... A copy of the First Information Report registered by the police seen by NDTV, however, shows that the UIDAI official, BM Patnaik, had specifically asked the police to register the case, among others, against the journalist Rachna Khaira too.》] I/III. https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/journalist-not-the-target-suggests-police-after-outrage-over-aadhaar-fir-1797002 Journalist Not The Target, Suggests Police After Outrage Over Aadhaar FIR The newspaper, The Tribune, had reported that it received an offer to buy access into the Aadhaar database for Rs. 500, and that its journalist was given login details to access the data. All India | Edited by Aloke Tikku | Updated: January 07, 2018 22:13 IST Journalist Not The Target, Suggests Police After Outrage Over Aadhaar FIR Aadhaar faces a legal challenge in the Supreme Court over privacy concerns. NEW DELHI: HIGHLIGHTS UIDAI files case over Aadhaar leak report against journalist among others Move sparks widespread anger, UIDAI says not trying to muzzle free speech For now, probe will focus on tracing people who sold the data: Police Responding to widespread disapproval of the police case against a journalist for exposing a racket that gave people unauthorised access of Aadhaar data for a price, Delhi Police on Sunday said their probe would, for now, focus on tracing the people who sold the password. The newspaper, The Tribune, had reported that it received an offer to buy access into the Aadhaar database for Rs. 500, and that its journalist was given login details to access the data. The journalist tried to key in an individual's Aadhaar number and was able to see the demographic details of the person concerned, the newspaper had claimed. The expose had embarrassed the UIDAI. Its Aadhaar already faces a legal challenge in the Supreme Court over privacy concerns. Outside, many experts also believe that UIDAI's model to put a great deal of private information accessible over the internet was a flawed idea that runs the risk of hacking despite the UIDAI claims of strong encryption system. Madhur Verma, spokesperson of the police in the national capital, said the complaint sent by the Unique Identification Authority of India, or UIDAI which governs the Aadhaar project, had mentioned the name of the reporter who was purportedly given access. "Investigation has been initiated with the present focus on tracing and booking the person who has shared the password, the Delhi Police spokesperson said in a statement. The Editor's Guild of India has responded strongly to the police case, condemning "the UIDAI's action to have the Tribune reporter booked by the police as it is clearly meant to browbeat a journalist whose investigation on the matter was of great public interest". "It is unfair, unjustified and a direct attack on the freedom of the press," the top editor's body said. The Congress had also attacked the government for what it has described as its "arrogance of power at its worst". The UIDAI, which had been quick to file the police case, had stood its ground. The authority said its police complaint was not targeted at the journalist but it had to name the reporter, Rachna Khaira, because she was part of the chain of events that led to the misuse of its grievance redress facility. An impression is being created in media that UIDAI "is targeting the media or whistleblowers or 'shooting the messenger'. This is not at all true," the authority's statement said. But it also underlined a person's guilt or innocence could only be decided after a police probe and trial. But UIDAI also underlined a person's guilt or innocence could only be decided after a police probe and trial. A copy of the First Information Report registered by the police seen by NDTV, however, shows that the UIDAI official, BM Patnaik, had specifically asked the police to register the case, among others, against the journalist Rachna Khaira too. II/III. https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/editors-guild-condemns-fir-against-tribune-reporter-who-exposed-aadhaar-leaks/articleshow/62403264.cms Aadhaar data leak report: Editors Guild condemns FIR against journalist, seeks govt intervention TIMESOFINDIA.COM | Updated: Jan 7, 2018, 21:17 IST HIGHLIGHTS The FIR was filed against The Tribune's journalist Rachna Khaira who had exposed breach in Aadhaar Data The report had revealed that how billions of Aadhaar numbers can be accessed for Rs 500 NEW DELHI: The Editors Guild of India today sought government intervention for the withdrawal of an FIR filed by the UIDAI over a newspaper report on the breach of details of more than one billion Aadhaar cards and called for an "impartial" investigation into the matter. "Instead of penalising the reporter, UIDAI should have ordered a thorough internal investigation into the alleged breach and made its findings public. The Guild demands that the concerned Union Ministry intervene and have the cases against the reporter withdrawn apart from conducting an impartial investigation into the matter," the Editors Guild said in a press release. Criticising the lodging of the FIR, the Guild said it was "deeply concerned" over reports that Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) Deputy Director B M Patnaik had registered an FIR over The Tribune newspaper report in the Crime Branch of the Delhi Police. "The Guild condemns UIDAI's action to have The Tribune reporter booked by the police as it is clearly meant to browbeat a journalist whose investigation on the matter was of great public interest. It is unfair, unjustified and a direct attack on the freedom of the press," it said. The reporter of the Tribune newspaper has been booked under the Indian Penal Code sections 419 (punishment for cheating under impersonation), 420 (cheating), 468 (forgery), 471 (using a forged document) and also under sections of the Information Technology Act and the Aadhar Act, it added. Patnaik has informed the police that an input was received from The Tribune newspaper that it purchased a service being offered by anonymous sellers over WhatsApp that provided unrestricted access to details of any of the more than 1 billion Aadhaar numbers, according to the police. The FIR mentions the names of the journalist and the people the reporter reached out to purchase the Aadhaar data, but they have not been shown as accused, the police said. "The Tribune report of January 3 by journalist had exposed how, for a small sum of money made to a payment bank, an agent of a private group would allegedly create a gateway to access details contained in an individual's Aadhaar card," the Guild said. Snipped III. http://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/congress-condemns-fir-against-tribune-reporter-over-aadhaar-data-breach-report/story-FGZgrfSlqWAJ25RUy9inDP.html Congress condemns FIR against Tribune reporter over Aadhaar data breach report The Congress alleges it was Narendra Modi government’s “arrogance of power” at its worst and their intention on privacy was thoroughly exposed. INDIA Updated: Jan 07, 2018 18:55 IST Indo Asian News Service, New Delhi The Congress on Sunday condemned the lodging of an FIR against The Tribune daily and its reporter Rachna Khaira over Aadhaar data breach story. After a January 3 news report by The Tribune over breach in Aadhaar data with a headline “Rs 500, 10 minutes, and you have access to billion Aadhaar details”, the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) has registered an FIR against the newspaper and reporter Rachna Khaira. The Congress party said it was Narendra Modi government’s “arrogance of power” at its worst and their intention on privacy was thoroughly exposed. “Intent and Intentions of Modi government on privacy were thoroughly exposed when it had proclaimed that no citizen can have an absolute right over his/her body,” said Congress spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala on Twitter. “In Supreme Court, Modi government had accepted Aadhaar data leak! Now instead of investigating, an evasive Modiji shoots the messenger!” he added. Earlier, he tweeted: “Shoot the messenger, Ignore the message! This typifies the culture and character of BJP government. “FIR against The Tribune reporter is arrogance of power at its worst,” said Surjewala. He also said: “Every Indian must condemn this mindless act of Modi government and UIDAI.” -- Peace Is Doable -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Green Youth Movement" group. 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