---
title: "Rethink Aadhaar Demands An Immediate End To The Linkage And Use Of Aadhaar And Biometric Authentication"
description: "There have been reports coming in of starvation deaths because people are not being able to access their ration entitlements due to failure to link with and authenticate using Aadhaar. Some of these r..."
pubDate: 2017-10-30
author: Rethink Aadhaar
category: Uncategorized
originalUrl: https://rethinkaadhaar.in/blog/rethink-aadhaar-demands-an-immediate-end-to-the-linkage-and-use-of-aadhaar-and-biometric-authentication
---

There have been reports coming in of starvation deaths because people are not being able to access their ration entitlements due to failure to link with and authenticate using Aadhaar. Some of these reports can be found in the update from the Right to Food Campaign at the end of this mail. The [State of Aadhaar Report 2016-17](http://stateofaadhaar.in/wp-content/uploads/State-of-Aadhaar-Full-Report-2016-17-IDinsight.pdf) shows that failure rates, after multiple attempts, vary between 7% and 17%. Their subsequently updated figures [from here](https://twitter.com/StateofAadhaar/status/923164546801352704) is reproduced below. [Other reports](https://twitter.com/NirAadCollectiv/status/923465068326424583) show [failure rates as high as 66%](https://twitter.com/NirAadCollectiv/status/877634806007435268) This is unacceptably high and, translated in to absolute numbers, the number beneficiaries being excluded is in the order of crores across the nation. Please also see [this documentary](https://video.scroll.in/855412/video-how-mandatory-biometric-authentication-is-leaving-out-many-people-who-depend-on-ration-supply) to hear voices from the ground about how Aadhaar is playing with peoples lives without any accountability. 
Following these developments, the Department of Food & Public Distribution issued an order (attached with this mail) stating, "all field functionaries in the State may be instructed to ensure that no instance of denial of food grains or deletion of names of family from the Ration Card database only on the ground of non possession of Aadhaar takes place and strict action is taken by State / UT Governments for denial of benefits".
Additionally, there have been reports of denial of healthcare services for lack of Aadhaar against which a statement was issued that also highlighted concerns of privacy of medical history and its linkage to Aadhaar. It can be found [here](http://sacw.net/article13544.html).
Further, a "[gang that was involved in counterfeiting Aadhaar cards, hailed for their bulletproof biometric features at the centre of the government's push for reforms in welfare, taxation and communications](https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/up-gang-that-hacked-aadhaar-security-protocols-made-fake-cards-busted-1748471)", put paid to the claim that it is "[robust enough to eliminate ... fake identities](https://uidai.gov.in/your-aadhaar/about-aadhaar.html)". Earlier this year, we also learned how "[impersonation by illegally storing Aadhaar biometric data](http://www.livemint.com/Industry/73F92SKvUKxyngjfx7O0aJ/UIDAI-temporarily-halts-Aadhaar-payments-by-Axis-Bank-two-o.html)" is possible raising serious questions about the security behind the "[state-of-the-art digital and online Id](https://uidai.gov.in/your-aadhaar/about-aadhaar.html)" and "[one of the key pillars of the ‘Digital India’](https://uidai.gov.in/your-aadhaar/about-aadhaar.html)".
Given the state of Aadhaar, **Rethink Aadhaar demands an immediate end to the linkage and use of Aadhaar and biometric authentication to access government services and entitlements.**
The latest update from the Right to Food Campaign (which has been edited to include only Aadhaar related updates) is following. We would like to thank Aysha of the Right to Food Campaign (copied on this mail) for this compilation.