Sham ID (SID) / "Aadhaar" Exposed Every day
The Sham ID / "Aadhaar" masquerading as, unique ID (UID), is being exposed every day; and yet there is mindless, partisan support for it.
This is the bane of this country. There is a culture, my party or group or community or religion – right or wrong.
The nation does not matter. The truth does not matter. Corruption does not matter. Harm, even to oneself, does not matter, because it is not perceived and anticipated.
Two pieces of writing both excellent ones, one titled, “Why Why Aadhaar cannot deliver anything it promises” and the other, “Over to Supreme Court” appeared in the papers today.
While these articles cover many important aspects of the Sham ID(SID) called, "Aadhaar", they have not touched upon somethings, more fundamental to it.
There are two false assumptions on which, Sham ID / "Aadhaar" is based.
1. Sham ID / "Aadhaar" provides unique IDs. It does not because biometric identification is inherently fallible.
2. identification and database control are needed to target subsidies / benefits and government services.
The first assumption is proven false both by research and mathematics using published specs of UIDAI. Ground data of large-scale duplicates allegedly detected (In reality, they are False Positive Matches.) confirms the futility of using biometrics for identification.
Secondly, in every subsidy, benefit or other entitlement, there is eligibility criteria to be determined. Hence, IDs alone are of no use. The false notion is being fostered that SID / "Aadhar" will work the magic of eliminating fraud in government-citizen interaction.
Thirdly, setting up large databases and keeping them updated is an impossible task.
Ignorance in these three areas is the crux of the difference between developed nations which, do not indulge in this type of tom foolery.
Here are the links to the articles referred to above.
Why Aadhaar cannot deliver anything it promises - The Catalysts by Anupam Saraph | ETtech Aadhaar came with a lot of promises. They were brought by some of the brightest in India. |