New Delhi: Welcoming the Supreme Court ruling that the Right to Privacy is a fundamental right under the Constitution, Congressman P Chidambaram said Thursday that privacy was at the heart of personal freedom.
The Supreme Court’s unanimous verdict, he added, is presented as a “setback” for the Center.
“Today’s ruling is a historic verdict and will rank among the most important rulings handed down by the Supreme Court since the advent of the Constitution of India,” said the leader of Congress.
“Under the ruling of the Supreme Court, Article 21 has acquired a new magnificence,” he added.
Privacy, he added, was at the center of personal freedom and “inalienable part” of life itself.
Chidambaram also criticized the government’s approach to his interpretation of Aadhaar under Article 21 – on the protection of life and personal freedom – and claimed that his position was “inconsistent.”
He said the Center had argued before the High Court that there was no fundamental right to privacy and noted that the sentence was a “setback” for the government.
He also said that Aadhaar was conceived as an “administrative tool” to ensure that the benefits of wellness plans reach target people. “The approach of this government to Aadhaar is totally inconsistent with the UPA’s previous approach, so challenges have arisen.”
In a historic decision that will affect the lives of all Indians, the Supreme Court on Thursday unanimously declared that the Right to Privacy was a fundamental right under the Constitution.
A court of nine judges of the Constitution headed by Supreme Judge J S Khehar ruled that “the right to privacy is an intrinsic part of the Right to Life and Personal Liberty under Article 21 and Part III of the Constitution.”
The decision on the highly controversial issue was to address a batch of petitions challenging the Center’s decision to make Aadhaar mandatory to take advantage of various welfare benefits.
