West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has accused the BJP-led central government of deactivating Aadhaar cards of people in the state to obstruct their access to social welfare benefits. She alleged that this measure disproportionately affects marginalised communities such as SC, ST, and OBC groups in West Bengal.
“I vehemently condemn the reckless deactivation of Aadhaar cards, particularly targeting SC, ST and OBC communities in West Bengal,” she wrote on X on Monday.
Banerjee alleged that the “Centre”s unilateral decision to deactivate Aadhaar cards without any prior investigation or consultation with the State Govt. is a sinister plot to deprive eligible beneficiaries of welfare schemes, conveniently timed before the Lok Sabha Elections”.
She further declared her government”s commitment to upholding state-run welfare initiatives, regardless of Aadhaar card status of the beneficiaries.
“My clear instruction to the chief secretary is to ensure people are not deprived of the benefits even if they do not have active Aadhaar cards. The people of Bengal need not be worried. I am there for you,” she said.
Expressing concern over the alleged deactivation of Aadhaar cards in various districts, Banerjee cautioned the populace, claiming that such actions aim to hinder access to programs like ‘Lakshmi Bhandar” involving bank transfers and free ration distribution.
The Bengal CM alleged that the Aadhaar cards of 50 people at Jamalpur in Purba Bardhaman district and several others in Birbhum, North and South 24 Parganas as well as in North Bengal have been “delinked”.
Banerjee assured citizens that her administration would safeguard their entitlements, instructing the chief secretary to ensure uninterrupted access to benefits even for individuals with no active Aadhaar cards. She vowed to resist any attempt to coerce the linkage of schemes with Aadhaar documents, pledging to explore alternative avenues, including cooperative banks, if mainstream banks insist on Aadhaar authentication for transactions.
The Trinamool Congress chief also announced plans to establish an online platform for individuals affected by Aadhaar deactivation to file complaints. She criticised the inconsistency of government policies, highlighting the irony of initially mandating Aadhaar for various services, including school admissions, only to deactivate cards without prior notice, thereby disrupting essential services for citizens.
“First, the Union government asked people to obtain Aadhaar cards, even for admission to schools. And now, it is deactivating them without informing you… How many such cards do people need? What will they do with so many of these?” the Chief Minister said.
