Cabinet Minister and Government Spokesperson Ampareen Lyngdoh on Wednesday asserted that the issue of Aadhaar linkage is not solely within the purview of the Meghalaya government, urging protestors not to politicize the matter. Responding to a protest staged by the Awaken India Movement (AIM), Meghalaya, against the mandatory Aadhaar requirement for various government schemes, Lyngdoh maintained that holding the state government accountable was “totally incorrect.”
“I have been briefed by the DC that there were some organizations that took a protest march against the Aadhaar linkage to several beneficiary oriented schemes,” said Lyngdoh, while clarifying that Aadhaar was a national-level policy enacted through Parliament.
“Firstly, it is incorrect to assign this problem to the MDA-I or MDA-2 or any political party. The Aadhaar is a concern that was addressed by a Bill of Parliament and enacted in Parliament, and this Aadhaar linkage is something which is beyond just the government of Meghalaya,” she stated.
She pointed out that even back in 2016-17, the state government had appealed for exemption from Aadhaar implementation. “Government of India simply remain silent but it was later learnt that Aadhaar seeding was to be connected to several beneficiary schemes like ration card, job card, now even the MHIS linkage and several other such schemes,” she said.
Addressing claims that the state initiated the Aadhaar linkage drive, Lyngdoh clarified, “If you look at this Aadhaar linkage, citizens are at liberty to not avail a scheme if they so wish so but if you want the ration card facility and MHIS card you have to have an Aadhaar. If you are a student applying for a scholarship you have to have an Aadhaar. So the Government of India has used the Aadhaar as a base registry, certification to be given to the effect of being a Bonafide Indian citizen.”
She further emphasized, “I would like to put this in the right perspective that you should not blame any government as this act or this bill was introduced in Parliament way back 15–16 years and organizations are permitted to express their unwillingness to link or have Aadhaar linkage to any of these schemes but there should be a proper manner in which you present your case so that this intention to malign reputation of any government or any political party is refrain from.”
Urging the protestors to follow due process, the minister advised, “There are authorities for the Aadhaar discrepancies. You please write to the concerned authority.”
“Having said that, I believe that today when an organization takes the street and tries to present this as somebody’s responsibility is incorrect and that is something which we need to put in the right perspective and correct that information that is being circulated,” she concluded.