A Former United States secret agency CIA employee and whistleblower Edward Snowden have advised Indian government to slap a heavy penalty on anyone who will misuse Aadhar card details for purposes other than public services.
Addressing a private media event via video-conference on the theme ‘Being a Whistleblower’ at ‘Talk Journalism,’ he shared his concerns about UIDAI data scandals and misuse, UIDAI, whistleblower laws, the safety of journalists and his return to the US.
He raised questions about the government's intentions and said that there is "something seriously wrong with this system."
"In India, if the Aadhaar system has to work then there should be a criminal penalty on agencies for disclosing personal details. In India, the condition is like you can’t have a baby if you don’t have Aadhaar," he said.
While replying to a question regarding the surveillance issue, he said that the “government needs to explain why you don’t need rights.” However, the government gives an excuse that they are about to bring a new programme that will safeguard citizens rights and protect them.
Snowden emphasized said that privacy can be safeguarded through better encryption systems and strong legal system.
