codema.in
Sat 25 Jul 2015 6:13AM

DNA profiling bill

PP Pirate Praveen Public Seen by 193

http://thewire2015/07/24/modi-wants-the-dna-profiling-bill-passed-right-away-heres-why-it-shouldnt-be-6922/

What can we do?

  1. A joint statement with as many organizations
  2. Contact the opposition parties
  3. Spread the concerns/campaign
KAK

Karthikeyan A K Sun 26 Jul 2015 4:30PM

This is outrageous, what are they trying to do? Get data for ethnic cleansing?

PV

Pirate Vik Mon 27 Jul 2015 7:12PM

In the UK we have had DNA profiling legislation for > 20 years. I guess there are some potentially valid law enforcement usecases - like when they catch the bad guy and prove the crime using DNA evidence.

I remain unconvinced however, that it's as accurate as they make out and that there have not been miscarriages of justice.

@praveenarimbrathod From the Indian Pirates perspective - why do we object to the legislation?

I don't have a position personally - because I don't yet know enough about it.

PP

Pirate Praveen Thu 30 Jul 2015 12:24PM

@vik privacy, it is not an isolated incident, there is a full throttle attack on privacy to make India a surveillance state. Aadhar, is another example and the govt even claims there is no fundamental right to privacy. See http://thewire.in/2015/07/28/sorry-mr-attorney-general-we-do-actually-have-a-constitutional-right-to-privacy-7398/

When all institution appointment processes are subverted (see FTII, NCHR appointments) this angle also needs to be considered and this bill does not address accountability issues as well.

PV

Pirate Vik Thu 30 Jul 2015 2:07PM

@praveenarimbrathod OK - fair point. Over here we are already far down the road of surveillance state. I don't per se disagree with legislation for DNA evidence - but that legislation ought to be written with robust safeguards in place.