Fake birth certificates in Assam: An ominous signal

 STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: The incidents of a doctor in a primary health centre (PHC) under the Thelamara Police Station in the Sonitpur district issuing hundreds of fake birth certificates are a grim reminder of such fakeries taking place in the state. The state has 1,018 PHCs, and nobody can guarantee that such fakeries have not taken place in other PHCs in the state.

Thelamara police have confirmed that they have started an investigation into an FIR filed against Dr. Pranjal Bora on the charge of issuing fake birth certificates. The police said that several people have approached the police station seeking remedies for the fake certificates that Dr. Bora issued during 2006-16, when he was working in the Naharbari PHC. With such fake certificates, many people of doubtful nationalities made Aadhaar cards, voter cards, ration cards, passports, etc., besides including their names in the NRC.

Health Department sources said that they cannot rule out that the Naharbari-like incidents have not taken place in other PHCs of the state. The department said that they are ill-equipped with a mechanism that can check such incidents in every PHC in the state. It said that the department conducts inquiries only after receiving complaints about such incidents.

Sources in the department further said that many people belonging to the weaker sections, illiterate people, and people in tribal areas are not conscious enough to get birth certificates for their wards soon after birth. Department sources categorize two types of irregularities in the issuance of birth certificates: the issuance of back-dated birth certificates by health officials after taking money, and the issuance of birth certificates without verifying the place and date of birth by taking money.

Dr. Bora's case is such that he was issuing fake birth certificates with the help of forged stamps and seals from Naharbari PHC.

According to sources, there might be thousands of such people who have been availing of various facilities, including government jobs, with such fake birth certificates in the state. Circles concerned feel that it augurs well that the government will conduct a statewide drive to find out who is using fake birth certificates.

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