State owned marketing companies (OMCs) have issued a verbal advisory to petrol pump dealers to display pictures of Prime Minister Modi at their outlets ahead of the 2019 elections, reported The Hindu.
Speaking to the daily, SS Gogi, president, Consortium of Indian Petroleum Dealers (CIPD), said, “They are asking us to display the picture of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in retail outlets and those who refuse are threatened with blocking of supplies.”
The dealers claim that the suggested pictures include one on the scheme to provide LPG connections to families Below Poverty Line.
The dealers alleged that the government was profiling the employees on the basis of their caste and religion for which the oil companies sought personal data like the Aadhaar number, religion, caste, among others of the employees.
Gogo said that the consortium will approach the court if this continues.
They are asking for sensitive personal information like caste, religion and constituency of the employees. Such data collection by the government is a breach of privacy. We are going to court.SS Gogi, President, Consortium of Indian Petroleum Dealers
Earlier, on 11 June, the consortium haad written a letter to OMCs regarding the gross violation of fundamental rights. The Hindu also reported that a Punjab Petrol Pump Dealer association had even sent a legal notice to senior officers of Indian Oil Corporation (IOCL), Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL) and Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL).
Speaking to The Hindu, an OMC official confirmed that the data was being collected for recognition of prior learning scheme under PM’s Skill Development Ministry.
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