Document Frenzy: Bengal Minorities Rush for Birth Certificates Amid Voter Roll Revision Fears

Residents in Malda and Murshidabad, West Bengal, primarily from minority communities, are scrambling to secure birth certificates due to fears of electoral roll revisions. Middlemen are profiting from the situation, and local authorities are overwhelmed, setting up special cells to manage the surge.

In West Bengal's Malda and Murshidabad districts, residents belonging largely to minority communities are rushing to obtain birth certificates, fearing consequences from a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. This frenzy has pushed many to seek documents proving birthplaces and dates to safeguard voting rights.

Middlemen in Malda charge Rs 1,900 for helping with affidavits online. Groups are brought to courts for these documents, indicating an economic surge for local cyber cafes. Subhamay Basu, TMC councillor, noted intensified pressure on civic bodies over the past weeks, resulting in long queues and the formation of special cells to handle the demand.

In Murshidabad, similar pressures prevail. While concerns of deportation to Bangladesh loom, political leaders like TMC's Abu Taher aim to quell fears, branding the SIR a divisive BJP tactic. Outreach programs and clear instructions to maintain orderly documents are being emphasized as state elections approach.

(With inputs from agencies.)