The Punjab State Human Rights Commission has summoned the Civil Surgeon of Ludhiana. The Commission has sought a report regarding serious allegations that an innocent person was labeled a drug addict in government records through the misuse of his Aadhaar card. The Civil Surgeon has been directed to appear in person, along with the report, on August 14.
The orders issued in this regard note that the Commission had previously sought reports on the action taken from the Director of Health and Family Welfare and the Ludhiana Civil Surgeon, but neither had submitted a report so far. Taking a strict stance, the Commission has now ordered the Ludhiana Civil Surgeon to appear before it in person on August 14 with a complete report.
This action follows a complaint filed by Tarsem Bhardwaj, a resident of Bija village in Khanna. According to the complainant, when he went to undergo a dope test for an arms license, he discovered that a de-addiction center had misused his Aadhaar card to issue approximately 100 pills in his name and had listed him as a ‘drug addict’ in government records. Subsequently, the aggrieved individual had sought justice from the Human Rights Commission and the DIG (Ludhiana Range).
