July 28, 2016
Kalyan Banerjee speaks in LS on the issue of Aadhaar card being made mandatory
Madam, I am raising a very important issue. Aadhaar cards have been made mandatory for receiving financial benefits and subsidies from the Government, including LPG subsidy, Government scholarships, provident fund, pension, food security and other bank transfers.
Madam, in West Bengal alone nearly one crore people have not received any Aadhaar cards from UIDAI. As a result, many poor people have been deprived of such benefits. This mandatory necessity of Aadhaar cards should be removed in the country and it should be made optional.
Madam, the Hon’ble Supreme Court has said that Aadhaar cards should not be made mandatory for receiving benefits from the Central Government. Four states – Bihar, Odisha, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal – are all raising this issue with the Central Government repeatedly. Our Hon’ble Chief Minister has spoken the Hon’ble Prime Minister and other Ministers also.
Now, Madam, the consequence is this: by reason of non-availability of Aadhaar cards, crores of poor and BPL people are not receiving any benefits. We need an assurance from the concerned Minister that Aadhaar card would not be made mandatory for people to receive benefits.
One of our MP’s mother is not receiving her pension because of Aadhaar card. One journalist yesterday told me in Delhi that his mother is not receiving pension because of the non-availability of Aadhaar card. Therefore, Madam, I request that, immediately this provision of mandatory Aadhaar cards for receiving benefits should be waived until and unless each and every person in this country out of 124 crore people, get Aadhaar cards. It should not be made compulsory, Madam. That is our request.
