Right to Sell My Soul ?

Our Constitution guarantees every citizen , following fundamental rights :

The Constitution guarantees six fundamental rights to Indian citizens as follows: (i) right to equality, (ii) right to freedom, (iii) right against exploitation, (iv) right to freedom of religion, (v) cultural and educational rights, and (vi) right to constitutional remedies.

Last week , Supreme Court ruled that “ Right to Privacy “ is also a Fundamental Right ( though not specifically mentioned as such in the Constitution , but implied )

There is no mention of a citizen’s right to ROTI – KAPADA – MAKAAN  !

Nor is the Constitution specific about the PRIORITIES / RELATIVE IMPORTANCE , of these rights

For the following simple reason :

To different individuals , depending upon their education / social security and above all , their SPECIFIC PREVAILING CIRCUMSTANCES , these priorities keep changing

What would the following people say is their MOST IMPORTANT fundamental right , under their present circumstances ( - including , a right to FOOD / JOB / HOUSE or UNIVERSAL BASIC INCOME ? ) :

·         Parents of 1.6 million children ( under 5 ) who die of “ malnutrition “ each year

·         400 million people under the official Poverty Line

·         100 million people sleeping on footpaths

·         17,000 farmers committing suicide , each year ( cannot repay the loans ? )

·         10.3 million Child Labour ( 70 % being girls ), working 12 hours per day

·         200 million people living in slums ( literally on top of gutters )

·         600,000 persons dying premature deaths due to air pollution

·         300,000 female sex workers , selling their bodies to feed their starving children

( this number rose by 50 % between 1997 and 2004 )

I am sure , readers can add to this list . I suspect this total will number 700 + million !

For these persons , what do you think , are the relative importance of,

·         RIGHT to PRIVACY ?

·         Right to  ROTI – KAPADA – MAKAAN  ?

Would they be happy to “ trade in “ their  “ Right to Privacy “ for a right to “ Roti – Kapada – Makaan “ , if a portal ( such as one described in my yesterday’s blog , www.PrivacyforSale.com  ) , were to enable them to earn Rs 300 per day , to feed their starving / begging children ,  by selling their Personal Information to any BUYER ?

To me , that answer is FIRMLY in the AFFIRMATIVE  !

I am not unaware of the following :

·         These people may not be able to REGISTER / UP-LOAD their Personal Data on the portal because they have no internet connected computers / smart phones

·         They may not have any bank accounts into which the Portal can deposit their earnings – and no Credit-Debit cards to withdraw cash or be worried about hack !

·         They may not have an Aadhar ID / E mail ID / Social Media presence

·         No business / industry / E-Commerce web site would be interested in “ buying “ their Personal Data , since they do not constitute for them , a “ Target / Potential Customers “ . Why bother to deliver Advertisements to them on their mobiles ?

But , I have a feeling that , all of these will change soon , what with the Central Government’s aggressive drive to “ Bridge the Digital Divide “

And these ( currently ) DIGITALLY  DEAD people may suddenly come ALIVE ( on www.PrivacyForSale.com  ) , if the government itself launches this portal ( monopoly under proposed DATA  PROTECTION  LAW  ? ), and declare this as the Authentic Data Source for deciding who will be eligible for UNIVERSAL  BASIC  INCOME

I should have a Right to Sell My Soul , in order to save my Body !

28  August  2017

www.hemenparekh.in / blogs