UIDAI: Vested interests spreading rumours against Aadhaar
New Delhi, Aug 5 : The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) on Sunday slammed people with "vested interests" for spreading "rumours" against the Aadhaar, and reiterated that there was no harm in storing its helpline number on mobile phones.
It even suggested that people rather update its contact number.
"The UIDAI condemns the vested interests who tried to misuse Google's inadvertent act as an opportunity to spread rumours and go around fearmongering against Aadhaar... it must be clearly understood that by merely having a helpline number, that too an outdated one, on a smartphone, no harm can be caused," a UIDAI statement said.
It said that Google has already clarified that UIDAI's old contact number 18003001947 was added by it "inadvertently" along with police and fire number in 2014 and has since been continuing through sync mechanism.
"Google has expressed regret for the same and has also assured that it will fix this inadvertent error in their next release and stated that the users may, if they wish, delete the number. Rumours about Aadhaar database being breached are completely false and baseless and are rejected with all condemnation that it deserves. The UIDAI assures that the Aadhaar data remains fully safe and secure," the statement said.
The UIDAI had earlier clarified that it had not asked any agency to include its helpline number in the mobile phones.
"Rumours are being floated on social media such as Twitter and WhatsApp that this number 'mysteriously' popped up on mobile devices and will be harmful and that Aadhaar data has been 'breached etc, and therefore the helpline number should be deleted immediately'. This is totally false propaganda and is nothing but scare-mongering against Aadhaar by vested interests," it said.
"Just with the help of a helpline number in a mobile's contact list the data stored on the mobile phone cannot be stolen. Therefore, there should be no panic to delete the number as no harm will be caused. Rather people may, if they so wish, update it with UIDAI's new helpline number 1947," it added.
Advising people to stay away from such "rumours and malicious campaign by vested interests", the UIDAI said they should "not waste their and others' time by forwarding or circulating such "false and baseless rumours on social media".
"One must know that Aadhaar has caused tremendous benefits to our country and helped save more Rs 90,000 crore by preventing leaks and siphoning of benefits and subsidies meant for the poor. It has also helped curb tax evasion, money launderers, benami accounts and shell companies," it said.
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Modi govt not listening to anyone: Rahul flags functional problems of OSCs for women
New Delhi (PTI): Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Sunday flagged problems related to the Centre's One Stop Centres (OSCs) that are intended to support women affected by violence and claimed that the "Modi government is not listening to anyone".
Gandhi asserted that safety is not merely a scheme; it is a fundamental responsibility of the government.
"Women are knocking on doors for help, yet the government has kept those doors shut. I asked in Parliament: When a woman flees violence and reaches a One Stop Centre (OSC) - why does she not receive help? Why does she find the doors locked instead? Why is there a shortage of staff? Why are complaints from across the country going unheard?" Gandhi said in a post on his WhatsApp channel.
"What was the government's response? That everything is 'satisfactory'. If everything is indeed 'satisfactory', then why are reports of so many problems regarding OSCs continuing to surface?" he said.
If safety is a priority, why is help still failing to reach three out of every five women, Gandhi asked.
"And why is only 60 paise out of every Rs 100 allocated to the Ministry of Women and Child Development being spent on OSCs?" the former Congress chief said.
"Safety is not merely a scheme; it is a fundamental responsibility of the government. Dismissing everything as 'satisfactory' does not ensure safety; it merely demonstrates that the Modi government is not listening to anyone," Gandhi said.
In his question in Lok Sabha on March 27, Gandhi had asked whether numerous OSCs remain locked, non-functional/fail to operate round-the-clock as mandated, if so, the details thereof; and the number of women who have sought assistance and shelter at OSCs and the number of cases of crimes against women registered during the last five years, state-wise and year-wise.
He also asked about the number of operational OSCs and new OSCs opened during the last five years, state-wise and year-wise; and the details of the funds released/utilised for OSCs during the said period, state-wise and year-wise indicating the reasons for underutilisation.
He further asked about the details of the sanctioned versus filled posts in OSCs, including administrators, case workers, counsellors, medical officers and police, state-wise; and whether the Ministry has examined complaints of mismanagement/violation of operational guidelines, if so, the details thereof along with the action taken thereon.
In her written reply to the question, Minister of State in the Ministry of Women and Child Development Savitri Thakur said OSC is a component of the Sambal vertical under the umbrella Mission Shakti and it provides integrated and immediate support and assistance under one roof to women affected by violence and those in distress, both in private and public spaces
"It provides services like medical aid, legal aid and advice, temporary shelter, police assistance and psycho-social counselling to needy women. Since inception, i.e. 1st April, 2015 up to 31st December, 2025, over 13.37 lakh women have been assisted in the country," she said and also shared the state and UT-wise details of OSCs.
The minister said the overall implementation of the OSC scheme lies with the state governments and UT administrations.
"Two third party evaluations of the schemes of the Ministry, including the Mission Shakti Umbrella Scheme and its components relating to One Stop Centres (OSCs) have been conducted in 2020 and again in 2025 through NITI Aayog. The studies have found the relevance, effectiveness and sustainability of the scheme as satisfactory," Thakur said.
नेता विपक्ष श्री @RahulGandhi ने महिला सुरक्षा से जुड़े वन स्टॉप सेंटर (OSC) पर संसद में सवाल पूछा, लेकिन सरकार का जवाब हर बार की तरह निराशाजनक था।
— Congress (@INCIndia) April 5, 2026
श्री राहुल गांधी ने संसद में पूछा: जब कोई महिला हिंसा से भागकर वन स्टॉप सेंटर (OSC) पहुंचती है, तो उसे मदद क्यों नहीं मिलती, ताला… pic.twitter.com/MRAy2oEuG9
