Wednesday, December 15, 2010

'Say NO to UID' campaign: Talk by Usha Ramanathan, 17 Dec 2010

got this in a mail. I absolutely Say No to UID. see more links at the bottom.

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Public Talk on the implications of the Unique ID project in India and the proposed National Identification Authority of India Bill 2010
Venue : Institute of Agricultural Technologists, off Queens Road, Bangalore
Time : 3.30 pm
Date : Friday 17th December 2010.
Speaker : Usha Ramanathan, Independent Law researcher, New Delhi.

In September this year the process of rolling out a highly controversial and least debated project - the Unique ID - has begun. There has been consistent opposition to this project and the responses from any of the authorities concerned are not forthcoming. Many demands have been raised from mass movements, civil society groups, eminent jurists, writers, researchers, and human rights activists raising serious concerns of the debilitating impacts such measures will have on urban and rural poor. The UID Project has cross-cutting impacts on food security, MGNREGS (Right to Work), banking, public health, etc.

What exactly does the UID project involve? What changes will it cause to one's life and livelihood? What are the issues relating to invasion of privacy? Who is proposing them and what are their interests?

Has the UID project and the NID Bill been deeply debated across India in various local governments, legislatures, and other official forums? What is the position of the Finance Ministry, Planning Commission and other concerned authorities about these initiatives? What the the implications to Citizenship?

Has such an initiative been tried elsewhere in the world? And if so, what is the result?

Usha Ramanathan will address these questions and concerns and will also offer a critique of the NIAI Bill 2010.

We look forward to your active participation and support for this campaign.

For the Campaign

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Environment, Social Justice and Governance Initiatives Environment Support Group Trust 1572, 36th Cross, Banashankari II Stage Bangalore 560070 Tel: 91-80-26713559-61 Voice/Fax: 91-80-26713316 Email: esg@esgindia.org Web: www.esgindia.org

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right liberals have always been opposed to UID.

http://www.countercurrents.org/karun240809.htm


but a lefty no less than Jean Dreze has opposed UID as "creating the infrastructure of authoritarianism".

http://www.hindu.com/2010/11/25/stories/2010112563151300.htm


and as many as 100 left wing intellectuals including Aruna Roy have signed a letter asking UID be not used in NREGA.

http://www.hindu.com/2010/12/01/stories/2010120164301300.htm

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