Opposition, BJP welcome SC verdict on Aadhaar
New Delhi, Sep 26 : The opposition as well as the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Wednesday welcomed the Supreme Court judgement that upheld the legality of Aadhaar but restricted its use for disbursement of welfare schemes and junked its requirement for cell phones, bank accounts and school admission.
Soon after the verdict came, Congress President Rahul Gandhi tweeted: "For Congress, Aadhaar was an instrument of empowerment. For the BJP, Aadhaar is a tool of oppression and surveillance. Thank you Supreme Court for supporting the Congress vision and protecting India."
Separately, the Congress party in a statement said the decision to strike down the Narendra Modi government's "surveillance tool" will put an end to the government's "abuse of power".
It said that through its judgment, the Supreme Court has firmly put an end to the "mass surveillance exercise" being carried out under the guise of Aadhaar and the "grotesque distortion of an idea conceived by the UPA".
Referring to the minority judgment by Justice D.Y. Chandrachud, the Congress said it is a scathing indictment of the government's clandestine and dishonest approach towards its parliamentary responsibilities.
The Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M), too, hailed Justice Chandrachud's observation and reiterated that Aadhaar should not be mandatory for any welfare scheme.
The Left party pointed out that although the apex court has ruled that private companies cannot have access to the data, and Aadhaar is not required for bank accounts, mobile connections, admissions to educational institutions and entrance exams, private companies involved with the government would still have access to the Aadhaar data.
"While this may provide some protection to right to privacy, a major problem arises when this Central government has privatised and outsourced to private companies many government responsibilities.
"Such companies will have access to Aadhaar data. This is violative of the right to privacy -- a fundamental right -- ruled by the apex court itself," it said.
Welcoming the judgement, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said it vindicated her stand.
"People should have some rights. If bank and mobile phones are linked to Aadhaar card then everything about the person will come into public domain. That this logic is correct and irrefutable has been proved today," Banerjee told the media in Milan, Italy.
BJP President Amit Shah also welcomed the apex court's verdict, albeit for a different reason.
"Today's Supreme Court Judgment is a strong validation of Aadhaar as an instrument of service delivery. It gives further impetus to empowering the poor by ensuring that they get their rights," Shah said in a tweet.
"Aadhaar under (Congress-led) UPA government was ‘Niradhaar' (baseless) and had no purpose. UPA spent thousands of crores to enrol people without any law or scrutiny. The Narendra Modi government gave it a strong legal backing and integrated it in service delivery. This ensured savings of Rs 90,000 crore and benefited the poor," Shah said.
The BJP called the verdict as "big victory for Modi government".
"We see this as a big victory of the pro-poor Modi government," BJP's national spokesperson Sambit Patra told the media.
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Dental student death: Probe against faculty after harassment allegations
Kannur (Kerala)(PTI): Police have launched a probe against faculty members of Kannur Dental College after a first-year student died after falling from a building in a suspected suicide, officials said on Sunday.
Chakkarakkal police, who registered a case of unnatural death, initiated the probe after the parents and friends of the deceased alleged that he had been subjected to emotional harassment by faculty members.
The deceased has been identified as Nithin Raj RL (22), a native of Uzhamalackal, Puthukulangara, Thiruvananthapuram and a first-year BDS student of the college located in Anjarakandy here.
According to police, Raj was found critically injured near the medical college block after falling from the building on the afternoon of April 10. Though he was rushed to the medical college and given treatment, he later succumbed to his injuries.
Following the incident, the college initiated an internal inquiry and on Saturday suspended Dental Anatomy Department Head MK Ram and Associate Professor KT Sangeetha Nambiar.
Police said Raj had sent an audio message to his friends alleging harassment by faculty members, including threats of physical assault and academic repercussions such as reducing his marks in examinations.
Officials at Chakkarakkal police station said a detailed probe is underway into the incident, with digital evidence being collected.
Also, statements by Raj's classmates, college authorities and family members will be recorded soon, police added.
Raj's father Rajan told reporters that his son was emotionally and "verbally harassed" by teachers over his dark complexion and poor family background.
"He worked hard without any support to secure admission on a merit seat in the dental college. But he was harassed by faculty over his caste and complexion. They also threatened to harm him academically," Rajan claimed.
He said that they have lodged a complaint against the faculty members with the police and are expecting a fair probe into the death of his son.
Raj's sister Nikitha said that he had faced repeated harassment based on caste and complexion.
She claimed that Raj had filed a complaint with the college principal, but no action was taken.
"He used to tell us about such discrimination and harassment regularly. He was once called to the staff room where he was severely harassed," she alleged.
The sister also claimed that Raj was once called a "slum dog" in the classroom in front of other students by a faculty member. "Once, when the harassment became unbearable, he reacted, after which the verbal abuse intensified," she added.
When contacted, college authorities told PTI that two faculty members had been suspended and that they were cooperating with the police investigation.
"We will fully cooperate with the investigation and share all details. Further action will be taken based on the outcome of the police probe," an official said.
The body of Raj was brought to his residence in Thiruvananthapuram on Sunday, and buried on the land owned by the family.
Sheeba MR, mother of veterinary student Sidharthan JS, who died in 2024 allegedly after being ragged by fellow students at the Government Veterinary College, Wayanad, visited the house of Raj.
Sheeba said that after her son’s death, she had hoped such incidents would not recur in colleges, but a similar tragedy had happened again.
"These suspensions are only cosmetic as those responsible will be reinstated later. In Sidharthan’s case, the accused students were to be re-admitted soon. Only after our legal fight are they still kept out," she said.
Meanwhile, political leaders also demanded a detailed probe into the incident.
Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala called for a high-level inquiry into Raj’s death.
He said the government should take seriously the allegations by the student’s parents and relatives that caste-and-complexion-based harassment led to the death and take urgent steps to bring those responsible to justice.
Chennithala said the issue should not be closed by merely suspending two teachers and noted that the parents had firmly alleged severe caste discrimination.
Leader of the Opposition in the outgoing Kerala Assembly VD Satheesan visited Raj’s house and demanded a thorough probe.
"Teachers are expected to guide students. How did such people become teachers? There should be a detailed probe," he said.
He added that strict intervention was needed to ensure such incidents are not repeated in the state.
CPI(M) Rajya Sabha MP A A Rahim also visited the family and described the incident as painful.
Rahim said Raj was the hope of his family, which had supported his education despite hardship.
"CPI(M) will stand with the family until justice is delivered. Such an incident should not have happened in a society like Kerala," he said.
He also compared the incident with the death of Rohith Vemula at the University of Hyderabad.
"The family has told us that Raj faced repeated caste discrimination and was deeply affected by it. A detailed probe must be conducted and justice ensured. The action taken should set an example so that such incidents are not repeated in Kerala," Rahim said.
Meanwhile, the Kerala State Human Rights Commission on Sunday directed the police to conduct a detailed probe into the death of the student and submit a report within a week.
The Commission took a case on its own based on media reports.
Commission Judicial member K Baijunath issued directions to the Kannur City Police Commissioner to investigate the allegations surrounding the incident and file a report within the stipulated time, according to a statement.
