Aadhaar: Gas chamber that kills the hungry
The death of poor tribal Kaleshwara Soren has proved the fact to the nation that Supreme Court verdict on Aadhaar can never help the impoverished. Aadhaar is controlling the life of the poor of this country. Forget the other facilities, even to avail a kilo of rice, if it is mandatory to have Aadhaar, it is the heights of cruelty that prevails in a democratic nation. In some ways, this is the beginning of adivasi mass carnage.
45-year old Kaleshwara Soren of a village near Dumka ji in Jharkhand, died of hunger and malnutrition recently. This is the 17th hunger related death in that state since Santosh Kumari's death last year for similar reasons.
Kaleshwara wasn't ailing from any serious illness. According to his son, his father hadn't eaten two days prior to his death.
He had stopped working at the brick kiln where he was earning a living, owing to injury. Hunger and poverty has kept him away from education. His children migrated in search of work. They hadn't got even cold meal in Anganwadi, forget hot mid day meal as offered by the government. Job guarantee scheme such as MGNREGA didn't exist in his village. His family didn't have a job card. They didn't have any job opportunity to earn a living and remain alive. In this case, his only hope was public distribution of ration through Antyodaya scheme. That was his last resort. But even that came to a close in 2016 when he could not attach his Aadhaar number to ration card. Two more such hunger deaths has happened in Jharkhand owing to Aadhaar card. State government implemented paperless public distribution system. The objective behind this was to avoid fake and duplicate cases availing resources. Around this time many ration provisions got cancelled under Aadhaar based savings. This was the last shock for poor people like Kaleshwara Soren who lived in rural India, very distant from being beneficiaries of welfare measures launched for poor people.
The official process of 'seeding’ of connecting Aadhaar with ration cards was the reason for this. This process removes duplicates soon as the Aadhaar is linked to public distribution records of people. There are a lot of unresolved issues with this. Every information provided for Aadhar has to tally with the other records. If any one aspect among the provided details -- such as name, spouse's name, address, date of birth, parents name - has inaccuracies, the details are erased from digital format.
How many poor illiterate people of this country would remember such details that they do not use in daily life? This is exactly happened with Kaleshwara. The clever fakes live and the genuine poor are pushed to death.
As per the records of Jharkhand government, details of only 1.7 crore have been seeded among a total of 2.3 crore. What happened to the rest? This case can repeat itself anywhere in the country. Because our media is yet to understand that death can happen due to hunger. Duplicate ration data can be created from duplicate Aadhaar card. But it is impossible for a deserving and genuine poor man to get food without Aadhaar.
The black marketeers are usurping the food of genuine poor people. This is the uncomfortable truth. The government had recognized the fact that Kaleshwara was a poor man.
And if is the duty of government officials to ensure he gets an Aadhaar card if the process turns difficult. But the officers are destructively pleased to remove the names of those without Aadhaar than to ensure he or she gets an Aadhaar. This Aadhaar has turned into a gas chamber for Modi government to eradicate the poor and impoverished. Modi is trying hard to improve the country's image through announcements such as bullet trains, tallest statue, biggest park etc. Naturally so, the Adivasis are a major road block for his dream run. Hence it looks like the government has planned to eradicate them by making random documents and Id cards mandatory so that the poor can be wiped out totally.
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World saw valour, courage of Indian armed forces through Operation Sindoor: President
New Delhi (PTI): President Droupadi Murmu on Wednesday said the world saw the valour of Indian armed forces through Operation Sindoor when they destroyed terror camps on the strength of their own resources and asserted that any terror act will be responded with decisive action.
"India has proved that power can be used with responsibility and wisdom. The world has seen the valour and courage of Indian armed forces through Operation Sindoor," Murmu said in her address to both Houses of Parliament, marking the beginning of the Budget Session.
"Our nation, on the strength of our own resources, destroyed terror camps. My government sent a message that any act of terror will be responded to with resolute and decisive action," the President said, amid thumping of desks by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other parliamentarians.
Murmu said the suspension of the Indus Water Treaty was part of India's fight against terror.
"We are also working on Mission Sudarshan Chakra to further strengthen national security," the President said, adding that security forces have also taken decisive action against Maoist terror.
Following Operation Sindoor, she said, the trust on Indian defence platforms has increased.
Murmu further said her government was committed to social justice in the country.
In the third term of the government, she said, work is being done to further empower the poor, and social security benefits are available to nearly 95 crore citizens now.
"My government is committed to true social justice," she said, adding that 25 crore Indians moved out of poverty in the last 10 years.
The President also said the government has been successful in tackling corruption and scams, and ensuring proper use of public funds.
"For India, the end of the first 25 years of this century has been filled with several successes, proud achievements and extraordinary experiences. In the last 10-11 years, India has strengthened its foundation in every sector," she said.
Lauding India's celebration of the 350th martyrdom day of the ninth Sikh guru, Guru Tegh Bahadur, and the country's tribute to revered tribal leader and freedom fighter Birsa Munda on his 150th birth anniversary, Murmu said, "when the country remembers the contribution of its ancestors, the new generation gets inspiration, which further speeds up our journey towards Viksit Bharat (Developed India)."
"The country celebrated the 350th Shaheedi Diwas of Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji. During the 150th birth anniversary of Birsa Munda, the entire country paid him tribute and remembered his contribution to the tribal community," the President said.
"The events related to the 150th birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel further strengthened the sense of Ek Bharat, Shresht Bharat (One India, Best India). The entire country became witness to how Bharat Ratna Bhupen Hazarika's birth anniversary celebrations filled the country with music and a sense of unity," Murmu said.
The President's mention of the Viksit Bharat – Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) (VB-G RAM G) scheme was met with loud protests from the Opposition benches.
Murmu said the VB-G RAM G initiative would provide guarantee for 125 days of work, would stop corruption and leakages, and provide a new impetus to rural development.
The Opposition members raised slogans demanding its rollback, even as the treasury benches thumped their desk in support of the scheme.
The President had to take a brief pause amid opposition cries of "vapas lo" (roll back) against the Act that replaced the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA).
The Opposition parties have been demanding withdrawal of the VB-G RAM G Act and restoration of MGNREGA as a rights-based law in its original form, the right to work and the authority of panchayats.
The government has, meanwhile, claimed that the new Act will further strengthen the guarantee for rural employment.
