12583 - BJP MPs tell Chidambaram he can’t discuss Aadhaar - The Hindu

DECEMBER 27, 2017 20:42 IST

New Delhi: Do not discuss Aadhaar, five BJP MPs have written to P. Chidambaram, who is heading a parliamentary panel on home affairs, citing conflict of interest as he is fighting an Aadhaar-related case in the Supreme Court.

There are eight BJP members on the panel including former minister Sanjiv Balyan and Kiron Kher. Out of them, according to sources, five wrote to the chairman asking the panel to drop the subject of Aadhaar.

Interestingly, the panel has already had four meetings on “national security and privacy concerns” relating to Aadhaar beginning October 24. The subject is listed as one of the eight subjects to be discussed this year.

In the October 24 meeting, which came a month after the privacy judgement of the Supreme Court, both home secretary Rajiv Gauba and chairperson of Unique Identification Authority of India J. Satyanarayana had deposed before the committee.

Early this year, Congress Rajya Sabha member Jairam Ramesh filed a public interest litigation in the Supreme Court questioning how a legislation on Aadhaar could be passed in Parliament as money bill. Mr. Chidambaram represented him in the case in February this year. Citing it, the five BJP members, in their letter, have said that there since Mr. Chidambaram has personal and pecuniary interest in Aadhaar, he cannot preside over any discussion on the issue. They have demanded that either Mr. Chidambaram recuse himself or pass this matter on to the standing committee on Information and Technology.

The meeting held on Wednesday saw sharp divisions between the BJP and Opposition members. The Opposition members including TMC MP Derek O’Brien and Congress leaders Mallikarjun Kharge and Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury staunchly opposed the BJP’s demand. They accused the BJP of trying to scuttle the issue at a time when there were many unanswered questions on data protection and mindless imposition of Aadhaar.

“I cannot discuss the proceedings of the meeting. But what I can say is that Trinamool will fight till its last breath for the poor who are having Aadhaar forced upon them,” Derek O’Brien said.

The Congress, meanwhile, claimed there was no conflict of interest as Mr Chidambaram was not contesting the Aadhaar in Supreme Court but was merely fighting a case on the government’s repeated use of the Money Bill route to get key legislations passed in Parliament.

“This is totally silly. My petition is solely on the Money Bill issue. It has come up twice. Mr. Chidambaram appeared the first time and Mr. Sibal most recently. Technically both are arguing on my behalf. Mr. Sibal may also argue next,” Jairam Ramesh said.

The panel met on Wednesday but the meeting remained inconclusive and the issue will be discussed in the next meeting. When contacted Mr Chidambaram said that matter was presented in the committee, but since none of the signatories was present the matter may be deferred.