NEW DELHI: A 15-year-old girl with a rare genetic disorder, who has been relentlessly protesting against Aadhaar, on Wednesday expressed her disappointment over the Supreme Court upholding the government's ambitious scheme as legal with few caveats.
"The SC should have clearly made Aadhaar voluntary. How can a free citizen's identity rest on a mere number, a mere fingerprint, and mere probability? I am saddened and this has left me unbelievably worried. After all the hard work that I and so many people did to make Aadhaar voluntary, a defeat of this sort is very hurtful and greatly frustrating," Eidya Pal, who suffers from Marfran Symdrome said.
Marfan Syndrome is a rare genetic disorder that affects the body's connective tissue, the fibers, that support and anchor organs and other structures in the body. It most commonly affects the heart, eyes, blood vessels and skeleton. In India, it affects 10-30 individuals in 1,00,000 people. The most common symptom of the disorder is flexible joints. Other parts of the body which are affected include lungs, eyes and bones. Providing biometrics like fingerprints and iris scan is very difficult for people who suffer from the disorder.
Eidya, who has been home-schooled for her medical condition, has taken part in many protests in the National Capital. "Certainly, the Supreme Court has given us a breather. I don't deny that, but the apex court has also subtly made Aadhaar mandatory for most lawful Indians, and that is a huge disappointment," she said.
The teenager hopes a review plea would help people like her and hopes that the Supreme Court would make Aadhaar voluntary.