Aadhaar enrolment crosses 5 lakh in Meghalaya

FROM A STAFF CORRESPONDENT

Shillong, Nov 7: Aadhaar enrolment in Meghalaya may have got a beating due to inimical forces within the State, yet registration by the citizens have crossed five lakh since the commencement of the enrolment process. The initial phase of the official enrolment featured around two lakhs citizens getting themselves registered, before the NGOs started protesting due to the fear of illegal immigrants getting Indian citizenship. There was a virtual stand off before an understanding was arrived at and a number of awareness programmes detailing the positives of having an Aadhaar card had to be carried out throughout the State. Soon after, the Aadhaar registration resumed and another MORE citizens have registered in the second leg, stated a senior State government official here on Tuesday. In this exercise, the subtle influence of certain religious groups came into play, where they attributed the biometric registration as an acknowledgement of the number of the beast (known as 666). The Influential Khasi Jaintia Presbyterian (KJP) Church has categorically maintained that it is an individual’s choice whether to have an Aadhaar registration. Interestingly, Chief Minister Mukul Sangma does not have an Aadhaar card.