Chandigarh, January 10: Residents, social activists and political leaders gathered at Sector 17 here to protest against the failure of the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) to protect the privacy of Aadhaar information. The call for the protest was given by The Tribune Employees Union.
The UIDAI has registered an FIR against The Tribune for investigative story on how access to Aadhaar data is available just for Rs 500.
In a press release, the Punjab Government extended its support to the media protest against the filing of an FIR against a reporter of The Tribune over the Aadhaar leak.
Cabinet Minister Tript Rajinder Singh Bajwa, PPCC president Sunil Jakhar and Chief MinisterCapt Amarinder Singh’s media adviser Raveen Thukral joined the protesters in condemning the FIR and demanding its revocation.
Addressing the protesters, Prof Manjit Singh said Aadhaar data leak was the biggest scam under the Modi regime and, instead of making it an issue of cyber crime, the CEO of UIDAI, who was responsible for protecting the data, should be booked immediately.
Earlier, the protesters assembled in front of The Tribune office in Sector 29-C here.
A group of scholars, including economist Prof Sucha Singh Gill, said the failure of the UIDAI and the Central government to secure the personal details (data) of the countrymen was not only highly deplorable but also breach of the trust of people, who trusting the system faithfully gave their personal details to the government agencies concerned.
The Communist Party of India said it was an attempt to intimidate The Tribune so that the government and its system could continue their authoritarianism and “fascist tendencies”. The United Press Club of Ludhiana called it a “dictatorial move”.
News Source: http://www.tribuneindia.com
