Aadhaar card deactivation: CM launches grievances portal, writes to PM Modi

Kolkata: Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi informing him about the indiscriminate deactivation of Aadhaar cards in Bengal and announced that her government will launch ‘Aadhaar Grievances Portal’, which will start functioning from Tuesday.

Banerjee added that the state will soon provide alternative cards to those persons whose Aadhaar cards have been deactivated which will guarantee that the people of Bengal are not deprived of any of the social welfare schemes of the state government that they are entitled to. She made it clear that she would not allow NRC in Bengal till the last drop of her blood.

Banerjee in her letter to PM Modi expressed her shock to see such an action of deactivation of Aadhaar cards in the state against the interest of the Scheduled Case, Scheduled Tribes, other backward classes and the poor section of the society. “Is it just for the sake of depriving the eligible beneficiaries of the benefit or to create a panic situation among the people at large before the ensuing Lok Sabha elections? Banerjee questioned in her letter.

She further highlighted that she had received a number of representations, including those from the Tapasili Foundation.

“The present development has created chaos and hue and cry among the residents of the state, as a large number of people are approaching the district administration for redressal of their grievances. Every citizen in the state is in a state of fear on this matter,” Banerjee’s letter read.

She appealed to the people whose Aadhaar has been deactivated to inform the state government through the ‘Aadhaar Grievances Portal’.

The state will issue an alternative card to them which will guarantee their entitlement to all social welfare schemes as well as citizenship rights.

Banerjee made it clear that if banks refuse to pay benefits with Aadhaar card deactivation, the state government will hold camps and hand over benefits.

“Availing the benefits of the state government is people’s rights and you (the centre) cannot snatch the democratic rights of the people,” she added.

These people have made their Aadhaar Cards by following proper procedures.

Banerjee maintained that such a process of deactivation of Aadhaar cards without any prior intimation and without giving any opportunity to be heard is in gross violation of Regulation 29(1) of Aadhaar (Enrolment and Update) Regulations, 2016 and also in gross violation of natural justice.

Banerjee claimed that she has learnt that the head office of UIDAI in New Delhi, without any field enquiry or hearing the persons and taking the state government into confidence, has been directly issuing letters to individuals and family members informing them about Aadhaar card deactivation under provisions of the Regulation of 28 A of Aadhaar (Enrolment and Update) Regulations, 2016.

She referred to the matter as a dirty game and politics on the part of the BJP ahead of the announcement of Lok Sabha polls.

“Is BJP planning that first they will snatch the Aadhaar Cards and later hand them CAA? This is Bengal and not Delhi. Elections cannot be won with hooliganism here. Communal issues cannot be raised with the help of media here. This is a fascist conspiracy,” Banerjee remarked.

When asked about the state BJP asking people of the state not to inform the government but their party office in such a situation, Banerjee retorted: “What does the BJP do other than instigate violence? Why will people not inform the state government and visit the BJP party offices?” she maintained.

Banerjee said that she is sending a team to the Election Commission (EC) to apprise them of this sudden development ahead of the Parliamentary polls.

The Chief Minister reiterated that being a democratic government, there will never be an NRC or any detention camp in Bengal.