Government rejects ‘omnibus’ claims of enrolment of NEET-UG protestors’ biometrics on criminal database
The Indian government has rejected claims that it is storing the biometric data of NEET-UG protestors in national criminal databases. The Home Ministry stated that these allegations lack factual foundation and are overly broad.
Why it matters
The dispute highlights ongoing tensions regarding the use of surveillance technology and the protection of civil liberties during public protests.
The union government has opposed Rajya Sabha MP A.A. Rahim’s “sweeping” assertion that the biometric data of “thousands of protestors” has been enrolled on national criminal databases.
An affidavit filed by the Home Ministry through the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) said blanket allegations of indefinite retention, storage and sharing of biometric information were not based on foundational facts.
The NCRB said allegations of violation of fundamental rights to privacy, free speech and expression must be based on factual foundation of the alleged infringement.
The government said the MP has not identified a single biometric record of any identified person which was unlawfully collected at Jantar Mantar, transmitted to NCRB, which had in turn processed or retained the information in breach of any law.
An “omnibus” assertion that biometrics of the NEET-UG protestors were captured and stored cannot substitute for proof that it was actually done, the Home Ministry said.
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