Finance Minister Arun Jaitley hailed the Supreme Court judgement upholding the constitutional validity of Aadhaar scheme.
The government on Wednesday hailed the Supreme Court judgement upholding the constitutional validity of Aadhaar scheme.
"It is a historic order, Aadhaar's concept has been accepted after judicial review, we welcome this decision of Supreme Court," Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said after the top court verdict.
"Everyone who has been criticizing Aadhaar should understand that they cannot defy technology. Mainstream should accept changes, one can understand the fringe being against," the Finance Minister said.
Attacking the Congress, Jaitley said, "Congress cuts a very sorry figure here, they introduced the idea but they did not know what to do with it."
He said it is a step forward for the use of technology in governance.
Earlier, the BJP described the Supreme Court judgement as a big victory for the "pro-poor Modi government".
A majority verdict by Chief Justice Dipak Misra and Justices A K Sikri and A M Khanwilkar declared the Centre's flagship Aadhaar scheme constitutionally valid but struck down some of its provisions, including its linking with bank accounts, mobile phones and school admissions.
The top court said Aadhaar serves a bigger public interest. Aadhaar means unique and it is better to be unique than be the best, it said.
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) spokesperson Sambit Patra hit back at the Congress after it projected the verdict as a slap on the face of the ruling party, saying the order has in fact exposed the opposition party.
The Congress favoured middlemen while the Modi government brought Aadhaar to ensure that benefits are given directly to people, he said.
That is why, Patra added, the Congress had moved the apex court against it.
The court has ruled that Aadhaar is safe, he said.
"We see it as a big victory of the Modi government, the pro-poor Modi government. The Supreme Court has upheld the constitutional validity of Aadhaar and has also said that it does not violate privacy," Patra said.
He said the court has noted that Aadhaar gives strength to the poor.
The Supreme Court like the Modi government has stood with the poor of the country, the BJP leader said.
(With PTI inputs)
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 "Finance Minister Arun Jaitley addressing the media after Aadhaar verdict")
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