Poorest of Poor Will Suffer if Aadhaar Made Must For Bank Accounts: Mamata

Kolkata: Slamming the Centre’s new notification making it mandatory to furnish Aadhaar card number to open a bank account, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said on Friday that it would make the poorest of the poor the worst sufferers.

“The poorest of the poor, the marginalised people will be the worst sufferers if #Aadhaar is made mandatory unilaterally," Banerjee said in a tweet.

Banerjee, who has taken on the Modi government on several occasions for its Aadhaar policy, also raised privacy concerns and said that the Centre must assure security of the citizens of the country before making it mandatory.

"#Aadhaar has serious issues about privacy. Govt must not make it mandatory before 100% coverage is achieved," she said.

Banerjee had earlier criticised the Centre's decision to make Aadhaar cards mandatory for availing the mid-day meal scheme and accused it of snatching the rights of the poor.

She had alleged that rather than supporting the poor, the Centre was snatching away their rights.

The government has made quoting of biometric identity number of Aadhaar mandatory for opening of bank accounts as well as for any financial transaction of Rs 50,000 and above.