New Delhi, Jan 22: On government’s initiative step on Aadhaar enrolment and links, the American whistle-blower Edward Snowden critiqued on the unique identification card process and its mandatory rules again. Calling Aadhaar an “improper gate to service”, Snowden said the linking of the UIDAI number with various services “must be criminalised”.

"Rarely do former intel chiefs and I agree, but the head of India's RAW writes #Aadhaar is being abused by banks, telcos, and transport not to police entitlements, but as a proxy for identity-an improper gate to service. Such demands must be criminalized," Snowden posted on twitter, and shared a recent article of former RAW chief KC Verma who shared his experience on linking Aadhaar with various services, bank accounts, mobile and other identities of the person.

Amid the apprehensions being raised against Aadhaar – over the alleged breach of privacy due to its mandatory usage – Nandan Nilekani, the former UIDAI chairman, said the doubts raised over the security mechanism are flawed.

“If you are just taking a negative view, and not a constructive view, then you also have other (negative) reactions. I think, everybody has to accept Aadhaar is here to stay,” he had said in the past week.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jan 22, 2018 02:46 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).