Shillong, Nov 14: Various NGOs and concerned citizens from Garo Hills have demanded from the state government to take steps to ensure that Aadhaar Act, 2016 is not applicable in the entire state of Meghalaya.

In a memorandum submitted to the chief minister Mukul Sangma, representatives of different NGOs said that Aadhaar Act, 2016 should not be applicable in the entire state by resorting to exemption clause under the provisions of the Sixth Schedule to the Constitution of India so that “our inborn freedom and liberty in this tribal state are intact, secured and preserved.”

They also urged the government to consider defending the sacred sanctity of customary laws, religious virtues, ethnic identity, culture, privacy and right to self determination of the citizens of the tribal state.

“We the bonafide citizens of the state cannot permit such human tagging, identifying humans as non living commercial products with number,” they stated in the memorandum.

According to them, making Aadhaar mandatory as being imposed by the Central government on all citizens of the nation including those belonging to Sixth Schedule area without their consent violates the real spirit of the special provisions under the Sixth Schedule.

“…self ruling is defined having the freedom of living in their own land, with their own customs, religious culture and social sanctities are being subjected to cruel enforcement of this computerized biometric Aadhaar taking away all rights in regard to personal wealth and properties,” they stated.

The leaders also said that the intention of the Central government to impose this biometric Aadhaar does not end in just collection of data out of iris and fingerprints, but it goes beyond one’s possible imagination.

Meanwhile a statement issued by the Meghalaya People’s Committee on Aadhaar (MPCA) said that 1,566 persons from across Khasi and Jaintia Hills have decided to opt out of Aadhaar enrolment (those who already have Aadhaar cards and numbers).

While 426 individual letters were sent by ordinary post last week, 932 letters were sent by speed post in two separate packages and 208 more will be sent on Wednesday by speed post.

“This is simply to express our deep appreciation and encouragement to all those who have sent letters to the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) for opting out or withdrawal from Aadhaar enrolment. This is an honest and humble attempt with the hope that UIDAI will respond positively to the request made individually or that the Supreme Court Bench will include opting out in its final ruling on Aadhaar,” the MPCA said.

The MPCA also urged upon all concerned not to push in any manner for Aadhaar enrolment, including linkage with bank accounts, mobile companies, institutions and instead await for the final hearing and ruling of Supreme Court on the Aadhaar issue.

“We further humbly request to a few others not to resort to job resignation out of the desire not to have anything to do with Aadhaar while for some, not to exploit the situation through misinformation and disinformation,” the MPCA said.