A protest against mandatory Aadhaar enrollment was blocked by the authorities before it could reach the Secretariat here today.
The event was organised by the Meghalaya chapter of the Awaken India Movement (AIM), a fringe outfit that is more focused on anti-vaccination conspiracy theories.
With the central government now requiring Aadhaar numbers for student scholarships and rations under the Public Distribution System, those opposed to Aadhaar or who have not enrolled for whatever reason, have found themselves denied the benefits of these and other schemes.
Today, protestors decried the requirement to have an Aadhaar number in order to draw on these schemes. Protesters attempted to march on the Secretariat but were stopped by district authorities and police. The demonstration was forced to take place in front of the statue of Kiang Nangbah near Shillong Civil Hospital. Attendance was estimated at just a few hundred.
Later, AIM leaders submitted a memorandum to the Deputy Commissioner of East Khasi Hills with the hope that it would be forwarded to Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma.
Speaking to reporters, AIM Meghalaya president Banshailang Marbaniang maintained that citizens should not be forced to enroll for Aadhaar and must be able to exercise their free will. He opined that those that choose not to enroll in Aadhaar must not be deprived of the different government schemes.
MLA joins protest
Also attending the protest was maverick North Shillong MLA Adelbert Nongrum. He also said that enrollment should not be mandatory and mentioned that he too does not have an Aadhaar number and he has no intention of getting one. He urged the state government to address this issue with the central government.
