FKJGP urges Meghalaya Govt to end Aadhaar mandate for kids in medical emergencies

Shillong, Jun 16: The Federation of Khasi, Jaintia & Garo People (FKJGP) has asked the state health department to stop insisting on Aadhaar for minor children during medical emergencies, saying the demand is putting rural families under “grave inconvenience and distress”.

In a letter to the CEO of the State Nodal Agency for Meghalaya Health Insurance Scheme, FKJGP president Dundee Cliff Khongsit said parents are “often forced to produce Aadhaar cards for their minor children to avail of medical services under the MHIS Scheme, admissions, documentation, or emergency-related assistance”.

He noted many rural families have not registered their children “due to circumstances beyond their control”.

The federation reminded authorities that Aadhaar is not mandatory for availing of essential services, especially where denial of the same may adversely affect the fundamental rights and welfare of citizens, as upheld by the Supreme Court.

Yet, FKJGP said many rural citizens continue to face unnecessary difficulties and delays even when parents have valid Aadhaar.

“Such practices unfairly target the economically weaker sections and rural populations,” the letter stated.

Flagging gaps in enrolment infrastructure, Khongsit wrote that “many registration counters function extremely slowly with long waiting periods” and “several centre’s remain non-functional for days due to technical failures, connectivity issues, or shortage of operators”.

He added that “parents with infants and young children face immense physical and financial hardship due to repeated visits” and warned that “in emergency medical situations, delays arising from Aadhaar-related demands may potentially endanger lives”.

FKJGP requested the department to “issue clear instructions to all healthcare institutions and departments that essential medical services must not be denied or delayed due to non-availability of Aadhaar for minor children” and to accept “alternative forms of identification or parent Aadhaar details wherever necessary”.

It also sought stronger rural enrolment centres, more staff, and better monitoring of existing counters.

“We seek your early intervention in this matter and earnestly hope that necessary corrective measures will be taken at the earliest,” the federation said.

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