Mamata Banerjee said it's alarming as the leak might lead to the disclosure of confidential information.
Days after the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) said it "found approximately 210 websites of central government, state government departments were
displaying the list of beneficiaries along with their name, address, other details and Aadhaar numbers", West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee today said leaking of Aadhaar details could be "dangerous".
It is alarming as the leak might lead to the disclosure of confidential information about individuals, Ms Banerjee told reporters. "We don't know why such acts are taking place. We already have the PAN card and voter ID card. But I believe what is taking place in the name of the Aadhaar card will be dangerous for any individual and society," she said.
The Trinamool Congress chief also criticised the centre for its various radical decisions. "Some people act like Muhammad Bin Tughlaq and take sudden decisions such as dividing the state or the move of demonetisation. This information about Aadhaar card details leakage also shows such a mindset," Ms Banerjee was quoted as saying by Press Trust of India.
She added, "Details from head to toe of every individual, talks between mother and daughter... husband and wife would be known. I have been warning (people) about this time and again."
In response to a Right to Information (RTI) query, the Aadhaar-issuing body said that it took note and got the data removed from those websites. The Aadhaar details were never made public from or by the UIDAI, it added.
The central government has made Aadhaar mandatory for people to avail benefits of various social service schemes. The UIDAI yesterday said that the
Aadhaar data is completely safe and secure. The Aadhaar number, it said, is not a secret number and it is to be shared with authorised agencies to avail certain services and benefits of government welfare schemes.
"Certain other measures were also taken at various levels to ensure that such incidents of display of Aadhaar numbers do not take place. Following UIDAI's action such data were removed from these websites immediately," the UIDAI statement said.
It added that Aadhaar numbers which were made public on the said websites do not pose any real threat to the people as biometric information is never shared and is fully secure with highest level of software security codes encryption at UIDAI.
(With inputs from PTI)