[Reader-list] To Taha Mehmood

[Taha Mehmood]

Dear Kshmendra

I am sorry I could not understand your argument at all. Could you
please elaborate as to what it is that you want to convey? I am floored by
your acute eye for detail  and in applying your analytical faculties in
coming to a conclusion that you find my interpretation of
arguments concerning MNIC, trivial.

Please do not get perturbed because I think as far as the plethora of issues
in India is concerned, perhaps it could be argued that MNIC is trivial.

There is nothing in wrong in an issue to be interpreted as trivial as long
as one can create new imaginations, newer meanings in that triviality. Come
to think of it, MNIC in a material sense is nothing but a summation of
triviality. The chip which is going to be in the card is a trivial piece of
plastic and silicon. The information which this chip contains will be in
trivial bytes and bites. The gigantic archive which a national population
register will become eventually will be formed of trivial doses of
information. Not only that, MNIC will be used for rather trivial purposes
like buying a bus ticket or a train ticket or opening a bank account or
going to school. I shall not show surprise if a future government issues an
order for a MNIC reader to be installed in all auto rickshaws and all our
trivial rides in a city is recorded through a reader. Hence perhaps I am not
be that off the mark in engaging in a trivial interpretation of MNIC. At the
same time I do not think that just because a thing can be imagined as
trivial, we must not bother to accord it any seriousness. I think that even
in its triviality MNIC presents us with a serious set of questions. I have
on my part tried to raise some of the questions that I forsee in the idea of
a national identity card. I do not want to argue either in favour or against
the introduction of national identity card because I feel that it is a
policy matter and as I have said time and again I am not capable to
influence any policy. I am interested in the idea of a national identity
card. And I would very much like to hear what you think about this idea.

Regards

Taha