Weeks after the apex court ruled that privacy is a fundamental right guaranteed by the constitution while hearing a batch of petitions in the Aadhaar case, Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said the biometric identity number is a digital identity, not a physical identity.
Speaking at Digital Haryana Summit, Prasad reiterated the centre's stand on digitisation, particularly with respect to Aadhaar, saying 'Digital governance is good governance. Digital delivery is good delivery.'
The Minister of information Technology defended the mandatory linking of Aadhaar with PAN card for filing income tax returns, saying it was done to stop money laundering.
The Union Minister said the government also wants driving license to be linked to Aadhaar now and that they 'have had a word with Gadkari (Union Minister for Road transport and highways) regarding this,'
Prasad had on Wednesday said financial inclusion will succeed only under a transparent government for which use of digital technology is very important,
Citing the example of linking driving license with Aadhaar, Prasad said "if a driver's licence was revoked due to some offence, he went to another state or place to get a new licence... But linking driving licences with Aadhaar is curbing such practices and leading to better governance."
The minister also said questions around privacy are being raised with increase in digitisation.
"I know this question will be asked if not to IT minister of India then to Law minister of India. The Supreme Court has held right to privacy is not an independent right. It is part of Article 21 and it is not absolute as other fundamental rights of India are not absolute but let me assure you that we are committed to respect the judgement and committed to respect privacy of Indians," he added.
(With inputs from agencies)