50 year old Mukesh (name changed), a resident of Ahmednagar, Maharashtra works at the Zila Parishad Office and has been blind since birth. Mukesh has had an Aadhar card since 2009. Although biometric proof for Aadhar requires both finger and eyes to be scanned, in Mukesh’s case he was granted one with just the finger scan.
In 2017, the government made it mandatory for everyone to link Aadhar card with PAN card. Mukesh was facing trouble since the name on his Aadhar card had a spelling mistake and did not match the one on the PAN card. Also he was keen to start using the Aadhar website so he could track things online. To do so he needed to update his mobile number and e-mail id.
At the Aadhar office the authorities seemed unwilling to cooperate. They insisted that because he was blind he would not able to go through the standard biometric procedure of the eyes being scanned. This was sufficient reason for them to not update the information. And so Mukesh left the Aadhar office dejected and unsure how to take things forward.
He decided to seek support from the Eyeway Helpdesk. Our counselor assured him that the authorities had no right to deny him the card. They informed him about the rules that clearly state that no person can be denied an Aadhar card on the basis of their disability. The confidence that the counselors instilled in Mukesh inspired him to resolve the matter. He went back to the Aadhar office and educated the authorities about the rules that they were flouting by denying him the card. They instantly realized their mistake and were quick to make amends.
His name and e-mail id have finally been updated and he is able to access the website. Eyeway is there to support and instill courage in so many who have to wage a daily battle against ignorance and discrimination. When will the authorities realize that acts, laws, schemes and policies only have meaning when disseminated and implemented effectively.