Aadhaar case: Committed to freedom of press, says government.
New Delhi: Amid outrage on the FIR lodged over the reporting of alleged Aadhaar data breach, the government today said it has been filed against "unknown" accused while asserting its commitment to the freedom of the press.
A day after the Delhi Police confirmed registering of an FIR on January 5, based on a complaint by Aadhaar-issuing body UIDAI, IT Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad took to Twitter to clarify the government's position on the issue.
"The government is fully committed to freedom of press as well as to maintaining security and sanctity of Aadhaar for India's development. FIR is against unknown," he said.
Though the complaint by Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) named four persons, including the Chandigarh -based daily The Tribune's reporter who had filed the story on alleged breach in Aadhaar database, Prasad said the FIR was against "unknown".
"I've suggested UIDAI to request Tribune and its journalist to give all assistance to police in investigating real offenders," he said.
The UIDAI also said today that it is committed to the freedom of the press and will approach the newspaper and its reporter for cooperation in the investigation of alleged data breach.
"We're going to write to @thetribunechd and @rachnakhaira to give all assistance to investigate to nab the real culprits. We also appreciate if Tribune and its journalist have any constructive suggestion to offer," the UIDAI said in a tweet.
After filing the police complaint, the UIDAI had, in an earlier statement, said: "This is a case in which even though there was no breach of Aadhaar biometric database, because UIDAI takes every criminal violation seriously, it is for the act of unauthorised access, criminal proceedings have been initiated."
The UIDAI had also said that it respects free speech, including the freedom of the press, and its police complaint should not be viewed as "shooting the messenger".
The FIR had attracted strong criticism from various media organisations and bodies, including The Editors Guild of India which sought withdrawal of the case.
The Editor-in-Chief of The Tribune, Harish Khare, had said in a statement yesterday that "the authorities have misconceived an honest journalistic enterprise and have proceeded to institute criminal proceedings against the whistle blower".
He said the daily would explore "all legal options" open to it to defend its freedom to undertake serious investigative journalism.
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The Kross Bikes Mangalore cyclothon 2024: 1200+ cyclists pedal for road safety, fitness awareness
Mangaluru: The Kross Bikes Mangalore Cyclothon-2024, held on Sunday morning, attracted around 1,200 cyclists, including schoolchildren, professional cyclists, and regular riders from different clubs. The event focused on promoting road safety and responsible cycling, with a special emphasis on school students and their parents.
"The rally was organized to raise awareness about road safety and responsible cycling for students and their parents," said Harnish Raj of We R Cycling.
The event was flagged off by Dakshina Kannada SP Yatish N, who expressed his delight at seeing so many children enthusiastically participating in the event, which focused on fitness, road awareness, and safety. The children were divided into two batches, with a lead car from the police department, a safety car, and senior cyclists guiding the ride. The rally began at Mangala Stadium at 7.15 am, covering a distance of 6.5 km through prominent city locations like Shri Narayana Guru Circle, Lalbagh, Jail Road, and Karangalpady Market, before concluding at the Amrita Vidyalayam school ground in Boloor around 8.15 am.
Following the rally, a post-rally workout was conducted by Kasharp Fitness. The valedictory ceremony was attended by various guests, including R S Jamwal, Zonal Sales Head of Kross Bikes; Mukund Kamath of Ideal Ice Cream; Yogesh Patidar, Divisional Sales Head of IOCL; Anand Prabhu of Kasharp Fitness; Shubhananda and Shivananda Rao of Grahini Masala; and S M Muthalib of Taj Cycle Co. A lucky draw was held for registered participants, with two cycles given away to lucky winners Mohammad Diyan and Ewan D'Souza.
Cyclist Gleona D'Souza, who represented Karnataka State in the Senior Women Cycling category at the National Cycling event, was honored for her remarkable achievement, marking a first for a Mangalorean. Hardik Rai, who participated in the state-level cycling competition and the 642 km Deccan Cliffhanger endurance race from Pune to Goa, was also felicitated for his accomplishments. Young cyclist Shamanth Bhat was recognized for his representation in the state-level cycling event.
We R Cycling president Sarvesha Samaga congratulated all the cyclists and encouraged budding riders to work harder in organized events to secure podium finishes at the state and national levels. He urged cyclists to pursue their dreams of representing the district, state, and national teams. First-aid and ambulance services were provided by A.J. Hospital, and Taj Cycles offered backup vehicles and mechanic assistance. The event was organized by Team 'We R Cycling' in collaboration with Kross Cycles, Ideal Ice Cream, Indian Oil Corporation Ltd, Kasharp Fitness, Grahini Masala, Canara Bank, and Taj Cycles.
