Media bully backs off

TT, New Delhi: The Aadhaar issuer, which had lodged a police complaint against The Tribune newspaper and its reporter Rachna Khaira for a report on the sale of Aadhaar data, appeared to backtrack on Monday after a tweet by its minister.

On January 4, the newspaper had published a report saying racketeers were selling access to Aadhaar data for Rs 500, which would enable buyers to open fake bank accounts or get mobile connections issued in someone else's name.

In a complaint to Delhi police's crime branch the following day, the Unique Identification Authority of India accused the newspaper, reporter and three alleged racketeers named in the report of impersonation, cheating, forgery and violation of the Aadhaar Act and the IT Act.

The police converted the complaint into an FIR the same day but named only "unknown" people as accused. When the move came to light on Sunday, it triggered an avalanche of condemnation from the Editors Guild and several other journalists' associations, which alleged an attack on media freedom.

Police sources clarified on Sunday night that those named in the complaint were not being seen as accused but would be questioned.

On Monday, Ravi Shankar Prasad, who heads the electronics and IT ministry to which the UIDAI is attached, tweeted: "Govt is fully committed to freedom of press as well as to maintaining security & sanctity of #Aadhaar for India's development. FIR is against unknown. I've suggested @UIDAI to request Tribune & its journalist to give all assistance to police in investigating real offenders."

Soon, the UIDAI posted a tweet that suggested it no longer considered the newspaper or the reporter, whom it had accused of several crimes, "the real culprits".

"UIDAI is committed to the freedom of press. We're going to write to @thetribunechd & @rachnakhaira to give all assistance to investigate to nab the real culprits. We also appreciate if Tribune & its journalist have any constructive suggestion to offer," the tweet said.

The Tribune editor-in-chief Harish Khare on Monday released the reply sent to a questionnaire the UIDAI had issued to the newspaper on January 6.

"We were so concerned with the sensitivity and importance of the matter that we disclosed our sources in the news item(s) itself so as to enable the authorities to look into the concerns immediately. However, your communication, asking either to send response to your queries or you would presume that there was no access to any fingerprints and/or iris scan, indicates that the matter is not being dealt with seriously," the reply says.

Khaira's news report had mentioned access to Aadhaar data such as names, addresses, phone numbers and email addresses but not biometric details.

"It is reiterated that complete facts have already been given in the news reports published by The Tribune. We feel sorry that the authorities are unable to appreciate that a breach has taken place," the newspaper's reply said.

Congress spokesperson Manish Tewari asked the Centre to withdraw the FIR and said: "This is time for all progressive and right-thinking citizens to stand united against this government, which has created an atmosphere of intimidation and fear."

He added: "The creative community sensed this crisis as early as 2014 and launched a protest, popularly known as 'award wapsi', but the government has continued systematic coercion of the media which has dared to report the truth."