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Showing contexts for: data privacy in Combined Discussion On Statutory Resolution Regarding Disapproval Of Aadhaar ... on 4 July, 2019Matching Fragments
It goes on to state that : “The Draft Bill and the Report cull out rights and obligations of the data fiduciary and data controller respectively”. It further states that : “There may be indeed scope for further finetuning of this law through a consultative process. However, we are not far away from a comprehensive data protection regime, which entrenches informational and data privacy within our laws and legal system. We hope that there would be a robust statutory regime in place in the near future”. This is as good as a mandamus given to the Government.
There is another part to it, “Alternatively, data sets may be sold to analytics agencies that process the data, generate insights, and sell the insights further to the corporate sector...” It is a shame. This is people’s data. …(Interruptions) “…which may in turn use these insights to predict demand, discover untapped markets or innovate new products.” I don’t know what the new products are; God help us. “Either way there is a tremendous scope for private sector to benefit from the data, and they should be allowed to do so, at a charge.” Again, you are selling. “Fortunately, stringent technology mechanism exists to safeguard data privacy and confidentiality even while allowing the private sector to benefit from this data.” There is nothing really left for me to speak. It is a shame. This is what has come today. I want a straight answer from this Government. What is this? It is completely in contradiction with what the hon. Law Minister of India has said here. I want a clear clarification because you are cheating the common man. I want this on record. The common man is cheated according to what they are doing. What privacy laws are we talking about? It was really interesting because the hon. Minister in his opening remark said how Aadhaar is something that they created. It is very interesting. GST, it is their Bill; Aadhaar, it is their Bill; Direct Benefit Transfer, it is their Bill; Food Security is their Bill; NREGA is their Bill; PAHAL, which they have renamed as Ujjwala, is their Bill. I would just like to put this straight on record for this entire House that all these Bills were introduced and implemented under the leadership of Dr. Manmohan Singh during the UPA. …(Interruptions) I would like to put something else on the record.…(Interruptions) As far as demonetisation is concerned, we are not taking credit for that. …(Interruptions) I am also supporting it with a document. This is a document of the Standing Committee of Finance (2011-12) on the National Identification Authority of India. If I remember, all of you were sitting on this side and we were on that side. As everybody knows, the Chairperson of the Committee of Finance is always from the Opposition. At that time, Shri Yashwant Sinha was the Chairperson of the Committee and the entire Committee had objected to this. This is all on record and I am willing to place it. They had said in their observations that this will make illegal immigrants entitled to an Aadhaar Card. What Shri Ajay Kumar was just now saying in his speech and what the BJP’s line was in 2011, shows the constant double face of the NDA. When UPA brings something, they will object to it. But when they are in power, they are only growing on the programmes which the UPA started. It is really sad and shameful that they have benefitted from whatever the UPA had done.
HON. CHAIRPERSON: Nothing will go on record.
… (Interruptions)…* * DR. THOL THIRUMAAVALAVAN (CHIDAMBARAM) : Hon. Chairman Sir, Vanakkam. I strongly oppose the Aadhaar Bill which is against the interests of the people. This Bill is basically unconstitutional. This is against the Aadhaar related judgement of the Hon. Supreme Court. Therefore this Bill is against the interests of the people of this country. This Bill should be either withdrawn or should be referred to a Parliamentary Standing Committee for complete scrutiny. Hon. Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi led Government has invited criticism for not serving the people of this country rather engaged in serving the interests of the corporate companies. It is a matter of concern that the Bill tries to prove the criticism against the Government to be true. Hon. Members have already spoken about the provisions of the Bill which are against the verdict of Hon. Supreme Court. I do not want to list them again. I want to particularly state that Children shall not be asked to register for Aadhaar mandatorily. Even if they register and when they attain the age of 18 years, if they wish, they can go out of the Aadhaar eco system. This Bill is also amended to support this. The Section 3A provides for this Option. It is clearly evident that there is no correlation between what the Government says and intends to do. Children can enrol themselves with Aadhaar voluntarily and if they attain 18 years of age, if they wish, they can cancel that Aadhaar card. This is how they say. But if you look at the ground reality, Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) contacts each and every school authority compulsorily and insisting the students to enrol for Aadhaar. On this particular aspect, the Government contradicts with what it says and what it intends to do. The Government says something and tries to do something else. As the Government is making efforts against the verdict of the Hon. Supreme Court, this will be construed as contempt of court. The Government, which has pledged to uphold the Constitution, should respect the judgements of the Hon. Supreme Court. I wish to remind that the Government is showing disrespect to the judgement of the Hon. Supreme Court. As you say that it is not mandatory and children, if they wish, can cancel their Aadhaar card after attaining the age of 18 years. At the same time, this Government has not mentioned any alternative. If you say that students may not enrol for Aadhaar, in that case, if need be, what other identity card they are supposed to show or what identity they should use? This has not been specified in any part of this Bill. Basically there is no connect between what the Government says and what it intends to do. This Government is contradicting with itself and which in a way is helping the corporate companies. I wish to state that the Government is engaged in giving away the individual rights, individual data and individual privacy of the people to private companies. This Amendment Bill will in not in any way help to protect the individual rights, individual data and individual privacy of the people. Therefore I strongly oppose the Bill. This Bill should be referred to the Parliamentary Standing Committee for complete review. Thank you for this opportunity. Vanakkam.
SHRIMATI SUPRIYA SADANAND SULE (BARAMATI): There is no medical information in the Aadhaar.
SHRI RAVI SHANKAR PRASAD: That is a separate chapter altogether. Madam, Aadhaar is separate.
What I am simply saying is that data availability, data utility, data innovation, data privacy, all have to be worked together and the law will surely respond to that.
Now, two issues were raised by the hon. Member. You are sitting here. I was looking for you there. The issue raised was about abuse of data by hospitals. …(Interruptions) Take a light banter.