Since the #Ujjwala LPG connection scheme was (paid) trending last week, it may be useful to discuss its relationship to the ongoing Aadhaar data catastrophe, and specifically to the furore surrounding R.S. Sharma's latest contribution on the issue. (1/7)
Here is R.S. Sharma's response to the controversy. (2/7) 
Others have already unpacked the various lies and misrepresentations in it, but there's one statement of specific relevance to Ujjwala:
"People are also providing a copy of their Aadhaar cards to various service providers, though this is neither required nor desirable."
(3/7)
"People are also providing a copy of their Aadhaar cards to various service providers, though this is neither required nor desirable."
(3/7)
How does this relate to Ujjwala? Because participation in the Ujjwala scheme *requires* beneficiaries to provide *photocopies* of their Aadhaar cards (*and* of the Aadhaar cards of every other adult household member). See form below. (4/7)
And these photocopies, many of which will obviously *have the beneficiary's fingerprints on them*, are then *attached to a form containing the beneficiary's bank account details* and handed to a random LPG dealer. (5/7)
So that's probably somewhere north of *100 million* Aadhaar photocopies floating around the country, belonging to some of the most vulnerable and technologically illiterate sections of the population (the majority of them women), as a result of one scheme alone. (6/7)
And the best part? Here's the declaration they make beneficiaries sign. (7/7)
And it also has the happy coincidence of linking all the beneficiaries' Aadhaar details to their entries in the Socio-Economic and Caste Census database.
Just like the govt had always planned.
Just like the govt had always planned.
