West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee gives instructions to her party activists through her mobile phone in Kolkata. File | Photo Credit: PTI

Kolkata

25 October 2017 16:25 IST

“[The Centre is] interfering in the people’s rights and privacy... I will not link my Aadhaar number with my mobile even if my connection is snapped”.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday strongly opposed the Central government’s move to link mobile number to Aadhaar.

“We will not link mobile with Aadhaar. If we do not have a mobile connection for that, so be it. I challenge that I will not provide my Aadhaar number even if my connection is stopped. I don’t care.”

The Chief Minister said linking of Aadhaar with mobile number was a breach of right of privacy and the BJP government was trying to intrude into people’s personal life and curb their freedom.

Advertising

Advertising

“This means even a private conversation between a husband and a wife is going to be tapped,” she said, raising questions on what the Centre plans to do next with this information.

The Department of Telecommunications earlier this year had issued a notification, directing all phone service providers to re-verify details for all existing subscribers through Aadhaar-based e-KYC (Know Your Customer) process.

Even in the past, Ms. Banerjee has criticised linking of Aadhaar to various schemes.

At the Trinamool Congress functionaries’ meeting, most of Ms. Banerjee’s speech was directed against the BJP.

‘Can’t split TMC’

“We do not wish to come to power at the Centre. But we will surely play a role in removing the BJP from the power at the Centre,” she said. Ms. Banerjee said that by using Central agencies and money the Trinamool could not be split.

Meanwhile, University of Calcutta has decided to award D. Litt to Ms. Banerjee.

The Senate and Syndicate of the 160-year-old university have decided to award the honours to the Chief Minister, Vice-Chancellor Sonali Chakraborty said.

Also read: The long list of Aadhaar-linked schemes