Thank you SC for supporting Cong vision and protecting India: Rahul Gandhi on Aadhaar verdict

The Congress on Wednesday hailed the Aadhaar verdict and said that in essence, SC has echoed what Congress wanted to do originally. SC reading down several Aadhaar provisions was decribed as a "slap on the face of BJP" by Congress.

Rahul Gandhi said on Twitter,

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 . #AadhaarVerdict

— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) September 26, 2018

The delinking of Aadhaar from private entities is a 'slap on the face of BJP", said Congress national spokesperson Abhishek Manu Singhvi. "Slap on the face of BJP. Justice Sikri judgement strikes down Section 57 of Aadhaar Act, 2016, which says private body corporates can seek Aadhaar data. Says it's unconstitutional. All plans to monetise biometric data now fail," he tweeted. He also hailed the Supreme Court's move to disallow metadata to be stored in its current form.

"If the information of a person's personal information is sought to be released, he or she shall have an opportunity to be heard. "SC rightly appreciated brilliant idea in origin; protected its core; promoted its development and eliminated its flotsam & jetsam. SC brilliantly threw out #bjp #modi accumulated dirty bathwater and saved the baby. Org intent of UPA ie to give identity 2 marginalised ppl now shines (sic)," he said. His colleague Randeep Singh Surjewala said the Supreme Court verdict "upholds the individual's right to privacy". "Modi Govt's draconian Section 57 quashed - Bank A/c, Mobile, School, Airlines, Travel Agents, Pvt entities requiring Aaadhar Data quashed. "Time to take next step to destroy the citizen's data so collected now," he said on Twitter.

The BJP Wednesday described the Supreme Court judgement on Aadhaar as a big victory for the Modi government, saying the apex court has upheld its constitutional validity and asserted that it does not violate privacy. Bharatiya Janata Party spokesperson Sambit Patra said the court has ruled that Aadhaar is safe. The verdict has also exposed the Congress, he claimed. The opposition party favoured middlemen while the Modi government brought Aadhaar to ensure that benefits are given directly to the people, he said.

That is why, Patra added, the Congress had moved the apex court against it. "We see it as a big victory of the Modi government, the pro-poor Modi government. The Supreme Court has upheld the constitutional validity of Aadhaar and has also said that it does not violate privacy," Patra said. On Wednesday, the SC said that mandatory linkage of Aadhaar with bank account and SIM card is not required. The Aadhaar Act 2016 passed the constitutional test in larger interest but certain provisions of the act were struck down.

The court ruled that UIDAI can’t retain data (biometrics) beyond six months. The archiving of information with UIDAI for five years was also struck down. Schools cannot insist on Aadhaar enrolment for children which was deemed unconstitutional.

The Supreme Court Wednesday declared the Centre's flagship Aadhaar scheme as constitutionally valid but struck down some of its provisions including its linking with bank accounts, mobile phones and school admissions.

With PTI inputs

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