Rajiv Ranjan Singh announces voter IDs replace Aadhaar for welfare
Big update: Union Minister for Panchayati Raj Rajiv Ranjan Singh just announced that people will soon need to use their voter ID cards, not Aadhaar, to get welfare scheme payments.
Singh said voter identity cards, along with biometric authentication, will be the basis for identifying beneficiaries and processing payments for welfare schemes within the ambit of the Panchayati Raj Ministry.
Political backlash over voter ID change
The move has kicked off heated political debates. Opposition leaders are accusing the government of trying to mess with votes, while Congress's Rahul Gandhi called out Prime Minister Modi over electoral rolls.
Meanwhile, sharp exchanges have followed, with some comments drawing criticism for being disrespectful toward former Prime Ministers Indira and Rajiv Gandhi.