Aadhaar 'improper gate to services': Edward Snowden
Follow UsA constant critic of Aadhaar, American whistleblower Edward Snowden on Sunday called Aadhaar an "improper gate to services" and suggested that demands to link Aadhaar to bank and telecom services should be criminalised.
While tweeting his comments, Snowden shared an article on Aadhaar written by former chief of the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW), KC Verma.
Rarely do former intel chiefs and I agree, but the head of India's RAW writes #Aadhaar is being abused by banks, telcos, and transport not to police entitlements, but as a proxy for identity–an improper gate to service. Such demands must be criminalized. https://t.co/rRSn42XLlQ
— Edward Snowden (@Snowden) January 21, 2018
Snowden has spoken against Aadhaar in the past. Earlier in January, he said the database conceived of by the Indian government could be "misused and abused".
Snowden also spoke out in support of an English daily journalist who did an investigative piece on Aadhaar data being sold for as little as Rs 500. Snowden said the the journalist deserved an award, not an FIR.
It is the natural tendency of government to desire perfect records of private lives. History shows that no matter the laws, the result is abuse. https://t.co/7HSQSZ4T3f
— Edward Snowden (@Snowden) January 4, 2018
Snowden is a former CIA employee famously known for leaking classified information that exposed a massive surveillance operation run by the CIA. He is currently living under asylum in Russia.