Swamy raises questions about Aadhaar's security, talks about GST
What's the story
In an interview with Mirror Now, BJP leader Subramanian Swamy voiced his concern regarding the Aadhaar infrastructure which, according to Swamy, might be susceptible to abuse by American intelligence agencies.
He specifically criticized the government's decision to use an American company to develop some core software for the Aadhaar system.
Swamy also added that GST was not responsible for economic slowdown.
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Swamy says security is impossible for Aadhaar data
"I am opposing it [Aadhaar] not on the grounds of technology, but on the grounds that security is impossible the way we've gone about it," said Swamy.
Aadhaar
Swamy not the first one to raise concerns about Aadhaar
Swamy's concerns about Aadhaar aren't the first of their kind.
Back in 2013, the CPI(M) had questioned the ties between the UIDAI system and the US software firm, reportedly financed by the CIA's finance arm In-Q-Tel. The party had demanded immediate severance of ties and suspension of the UIDAI.
These allegations were based on revelations by WikiLeaks about CIA's links with the company.
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Americans will have the biometric data of Indians
"We've literally sold our interests.. we've risked our interests rather, by going to other people. The entire biological profile of Indian individuals will be available via computers to the Americans," added the BJP leader.
GST
Swamy's comments on GST implementation
Swamy denied that the GST was behind India's economic slowdown, but conceded that GST implementation had "harassed a lot of people" saying that he had advised implementation after 2019.
Further, he said that the economic slowdown had begun way back in 2011 under the UPA government, but a rebasement of key indices and economic indicators had masked the truth.