As SC hears Aadhaar case, govt ups ante with 'myth buster' tweets

With ministers and MPs tweeting about Aadhaar, and other users trying to call out the propaganda, #AadhaarMythBuster began trending on Twitter.

Social Aadhaar

The Supreme Court is set to resume hearing the Aadhaar case on Wednesday, and it looks like someone has been working hard to up the ante on the issue on social media.

From around 10am on Wednesday, a number of Twitter accounts put out the exact same tweet. It read, “Your Bank account is safe. No one can hack into your bank account by knowing your Aadhaar no. #AadhaarMythBuster”.

Here's another message, which was also tweeted by a number of accounts.

In the next two hours or so, not only did #AadhaarMythBuster become the top trend on Twitter, but hundreds of people also started tweeting in its favour. These included ministers, MPs and ministries’ Twitter handles, and also verified accounts followed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Many also shared infographics such as FAQs about Aadhaar.

Check out some of the tweets below.

Individuals having multiple PAN Cards, Benami bank accounts are being nabbed by using @UIDAI there by increasing the tax compliance and financial integrity in the country @rsprasad #AadhaarMythBuster — Siddarth Pai (@siddarthpaim) January 17, 2018

Legal backing given to #Aadhaar has helped prevent its data misuse by Tech Companies and others @rsprasad #AadhaarMythBuster — Siddarth Pai (@siddarthpaim) January 17, 2018

#Aadhaar does not save the details of bank accounts, insurance, mobile phone usage and other details linked with it. So there is no question on profiling based on #Aadhaar. Below are some more Myths and their answers. Plz read & share#AadhaarMythBuster pic.twitter.com/yTF4Lfyl9Y — khemchand sharma (@SharmaKhemchand) January 17, 2018

As per Section 7 of Aadhaar Act, no person shall be denied any service for want of #Aadhaar. Please make a complain to higher authorities in that department against denial of any service for want of Aadhaar. #AadhaarMythBuster pic.twitter.com/uaEeBQS2KX — Ravi Shankar Prasad (@rsprasad) January 17, 2018

Non Resident Indians (NRIs) are exempted from linking various utilities with #Aadhaar. #AadhaarMythBuster pic.twitter.com/YH1ir0FVBm — Ravi Shankar Prasad (@rsprasad) January 17, 2018

Aren’t the poor being denied essential services like pension & ration for want of Aadhaar ? #AadhaarMythBuster pic.twitter.com/9mpQGm3DXh — Dr. Thawarchand Gehlot (@TCGEHLOT) January 17, 2018

Aadhaar is a game-changer that empowers the poor & entitles them to get their benefits without any intermediator. It facilitates them an array of Govt. schemes through Direct Benefit Transfer, keeping corruption at bay. #AadhaarMythBuster pic.twitter.com/mAUNYMxmT3 — Piyush Goyal (@PiyushGoyal) January 17, 2018

#Aadhaar does not save the details of your bank accounts, insurance, mobile phone usage and other details linked with it. So there is no question on profiling based on #Aadhaar. #AadhaarMythBuster pic.twitter.com/TZv32TtjDy — Ramcharan Bohra (@RamcharanBohra) January 17, 2018

Dear friends, #Aadhaar is a step forward in the right direction both for the individual and for the govt.

Don’t get scared with opposition’s propaganda.

Have faith in @narendramodi Ji’s vision.

Read and spread awareness #AadhaarMythBuster pic.twitter.com/Jrp2JNCNbJ — Manjinder S Sirsa (@mssirsa) January 17, 2018

The criticism of the @UIDAI initiative is often generated from an inadequate understanding of the programme. Apart from making Aadhaar robust, safe and secure, it was given the security of a proper legal cover backed by a Parliamentary legislation. #AadhaarMythBuster pic.twitter.com/ZpEH8XsgEV — NarendraModi App (@NamoApp) January 17, 2018

And here are some more accounts which started tweeting in favour of Aadhaar this morning.

Verify your mobile SIM with Aadhaar to boost national security misuse of SIM by criminals, fraudsters, terrorists etc. #AadhaarMythBuster pic.twitter.com/z3PvNcnnf0 — (@ISHWARLALSAHU4) January 17, 2018

#AadhaarMythBuster



Why doesnt the ever-belligerent @INCIndia come out on a white paper challenging all findings of Govt. that #Aadhar has faciliated discontinuance of lakhs of fake student support, millions of fake subsidy accounts?



काम की बात पे तो मुंह में दही जमा हुवा है! — Sushil Kedia (@sushilkedia) January 17, 2018

Is this the reason congress n corrupt hate Aadhar #AadhaarMythBuster pic.twitter.com/ZsFQYfM5DI — Punit Agarwal (@Punitspeaks) January 17, 2018

Can someone say that I will not pay income tax because government seeks details of my

personal wealth and it is violation of privacy? Aadhaar needs fewer personal details then why

worries about it? #AadhaarMythBuster — Manesha (@Manesha76) January 17, 2018

#Aadhaar is India’s innovation akin to the Googles and Facebooks of the world in terms of users and utility. We are proud of this Indian innovation. #AadhaarMythBuster — avishek (@avisheksingh607) January 17, 2018

#AadhaarMythBuster Linking of bank accounts with Aadhaar will boost tax collections and curb black money circulation through fictitious bank accounts. — Sonu Nigam Singh (@SonunigamsingH) January 17, 2018

However, the attempt at social media propaganda was picked up by some Twitter users, who were quick to react.

The utter unconcern of the ruling establishment over the Aadhaar deaths and the daily misery being caused to millions makes it evident that this digital ID was never about 'serving the citizens'. It was always about tagging, tracking and controlling 1.3 billion humans. — Tony Joseph (@tjoseph0010) January 17, 2018

AHAAHAHA!



Look at these idiots going bonkers!

You just don't learn, eh Gormint?

Hilarious.#AadhaarMythBuster pic.twitter.com/8RY5Iu5lBQ — Meghnad (@Memeghnad) January 17, 2018

Well done anti-Aadhaar activists, your efforts have the desired result. This Government is so rattled that it's using even the Ministers to propagate the fake claims of #Aadhaar and trying to trend #AadhaarMythBuster . https://t.co/nXtupjvTOl — Farmer (@RURALINDIA) January 17, 2018

https://t.co/J22N5bB4wz



After ignoring and denying the problem, third step is always FIR against the person pointing out issues. January 17, 2018

This comes at a time when a five-member constitution bench, headed by Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra, is hearing the petitions challenging the validity of Aadhaar.

This isn’t the first time the government has tried to sway favour towards any move on social media.

Back in September 2017, the hashtag #DemonetisationSuccess saw central ministers behaving like bots and broadcasting identical tweets. The likes of former Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu, BJP MP Om Birla, Minister of State for Defence Kiren Rijiju and Information and Broadcasting Minister Smriti Irani had tweets that hailed demonetisation as a move to rid the country of black money, and also promoted the Narendra Modi app.