Aadhaar implementation a threat to nation’s security: Lekhi

Terming the manner in which the Aadhaar project is being implemented as dangerous to the country’s security, the Bharatiya Janata Party on Tuesday indicated that it may review some of its aspects if it comes to power.

Speaking to presspersons here on the sidelines of an interaction with college students on election issues, BJP national spokesperson Meenakshi Lekhi also sought a CBI probe into various aspects of the Aadhaar project, including the manner in which finances had been allocated for it.

When asked if the BJP would scrap the project if it comes to power, Ms. Lekhi said, “Aadhaar needs a re-look to see if anything has gone wrong and to know who stores and shares the biometric data of citizens.”

Attack on Nilekani

Earlier, at the interaction, she launched an attack on Unique Identification Authority of India chairman and Infosys cofounder Nandan Nilekani, who is taking on BJP’s five-time MP Ananth Kumar in Bangalore South on the Congress ticket. She said Aadhaar was a project for which one had to be condemned rather than appreciated.

“I will be ashamed to take credit for such a project,” she said.

Without taking Mr. Nilekani’s name, Ms. Lekhi alleged that the Aadhaar project was dangerous and also posed a threat to the country’s security as it regularised the stay of illegal immigrants from other countries by granting citizenship to them at the cost of the welfare of genuine residents.

‘Norms violated’
Aadhaar project had violated the Parliamentary norms and the direction issued by the Supreme Court to ensure that it was not made mandatory for offering services and foreign citizens were not enrolled under it, she said.

She also accused the UPA government of ignoring the country’s security interests by providing political positions to some of those who allegedly had links with Maoists.