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Is Food Security More Important Than Privacy?

    • TOI
    • Publish Date: Aug 4 2017 4:03PM
      • |
    • Updated Date: Aug 4 2017 4:06PM
Is Food Security More Important Than Privacy?

It’s wrong to pose a dichotomy between food security and the right to privacy

In the Supreme Court nine-judge bench hearing on the constitutional status of right to privacy, senior advocate CA Sundaram appearing for the Maharashtra government asserted that privacy would always take a back seat to securing basic needs of people. He even posed the question: “What is better, two square meals or right to privacy?”

In response, the learned judges of the court rightly argued that people’s economic rights could never be a ground to undermine fundamental rights. In real life the choice between food security and supposedly ‘higher order’ rights pertaining to freedom and privacy is a false one, often used by Marxist regimes to justify authoritarian administration. 

Both are equally important 
As the work of Nobel laureate Amartya Sen has demonstrated, famines are less widespread in a democratic regime, as a guaranteed right to free expression also means that reports of famine cannot be suppressed. In the present case under consideration, Sundaram’s argument represents an unnecessarily cavalier attitude to privacy on the part of the government. As far as privacy is concerned, it’s true that government initiatives like JAM — the trinity of Jan Dhan, Aadhaar and mobile governance — require authorities to collect citizens’ data for facilitating welfare benefits and direct transfers.
 
However, such data needs strong protection safeguards to prevent misuse. It’s wrong to posit one against the other; if the government wishes to promote Digital India it must also institute robust data protection.

Moreover, it’s also in the government’s interest to come up with a strong law protecting data privacy. Such a law would mandate the consent of an individual for collecting and processing her personal data, with “exceptions” against this right being closely and narrowly defined. 
 
Further, there needs to be strict accountability in case of data breaches, with procedures and punishments laid down. India has signed on to international treaties guaranteeing the right to privacy.  Many countries have already enacted privacy legislation. Moreover, BJD MP Baijayant  'Jay' Panda recently tabled a private member's bill — Data (Privacy and Protection) Bill, 2017 in Parliament outlining useful provisions for protecting citizens' data in India. These are templates that can be utilised to enact privacy legislation, and it's not a prospect that government should resist.
 
What's your take? Let's know your views in the comments section below. 
 

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Comments

S.sathish Kumar Bethel Mat Hr Sec School

Yes,I to agree with that food security is more important than privacy without good health there is no privacy needed so let''s reduce eating junk foods.

Hemalatha.G Sethu Bhaskara Matriculation Higher Secondary Scho

Couldn''t come to a conclusion!!!

Arushi Anand APEEJAY SHC. (KHARGHAR)

Even i agree that food security has a important role then privacy but privacy is also equally important in one''s life. We should reduce junk food consumption in daily life and also concentrate on our privacy which will help in our future life and even in present.

THAKUR AASTHA REUBS

Ofcourse food security is more important but todays generation is lacking out in it somewhere somehow may be lack of awarness or more of careless ness

Shifali Nigam La Martiniere Girls'' College

Shifali Nigam La Martinere Girls Collage Even I agree that food security more important than privacy.

Aikya Oruganti Epistemo Global - Vikas Leadership School

i agree

Ronit.R National Hill View Public School

In today''s world where crime is widespread and also where many countries are facing famines both food safety and privacy are equally important

Yadu Singh RYAN INTERNATION SCHOOL NOIDA

Eat whatever you want but not junk food.Junk foods make chubby skin(obesity).The proverb ‛a apple a day keeps doctor away’apply on it

Abhinay yadav Sree Narayana Vidya Bhavan

I can''t understand where it ends!!!!...

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