‘SIR panic’: Malda witnesses unprecedented rush for birth certificates and corrections
Malda: Malda is witnessing an unprecedented rush for birth certificates and corrections, with long queues forming from early morning at Malda Medical College and Hospital and various Panchayat offices across the district. The surge comes amid widespread fear and rumours surrounding the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process. Many parents, some whose children are two to six years old, are now scrambling to obtain birth certificates that they had never applied for earlier.
In most cases, applicants say they are acting out of fear and confusion. “My daughter’s birth certificate was made six years ago. Now the Panchayat member says it must be digitised. They told me to fix it immediately. SIR is happening now—that’s why I’m doing this,” said Sadikul Sheikh, who visited Malda Medical College and Hospital on Thursday to apply again.
Many parents who never felt the need to obtain or update birth certificates are suddenly rushing to do so.
The demand has grown not only for new certificates but also for corrections, digital versions, and rectification of name spellings on various important documents.
Standing in a long queue, Mastara Bibi, another applicant, said: “Everyone is scared. We heard that all documents must be perfect. So we came early in the morning to get the birth certificate done.”
However, MMCH authorities claim the situation is not abnormal. Ismail Sheikh, Assistant Superintendent of Malda Medical College, stated: “People regularly come here for birth certificates and corrections. It is not true that the rush is unusually high at this moment.”
The issue has also taken a political turn. Ajay Ganguly, BJP’s South Malda district president, alleged: “The Trinamool Congress (TMC) started twisting testimonials like birth certificates. This chaos shows the administration’s failure. People are panicking because they are shown immense fear by TMC.”
Countering this, Shubhamoy Basu, vice-president of the Trinamool Congress in Malda, said: “The BJP is spreading unnecessary fear. BJP always tries to keep people engaged in such paperwork to keep them away from real issues.”
Despite official assurances, the rising crowds at public offices suggest that the fear around SIR and document verification remains strong among the people of Malda.
