Netaji's family faces SIR hearing, Chandra Bose cries 'harassment' over West bengal voter list error

Though Chandra Kumar Bose’s name was in the 2002 Special Intensive Revision (SIR) list, the Booth Level Officer (BLO) could not find it until after uploading the enumeration form for details on the BLO app. Grandnephew of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose, his wife Usha Bose and daughter appeared for a hearing on January 16, while also appearing on behalf of their two sons who stay outside Kolkata.

“They did not give any valid reason. I asked the person who was there for the hearing. He mentioned some linkage problem. The linkage has to be done by them, not me," said Chandra Bose, who also says the BLOs are government teachers not proficient in understanding the technicalities of SIR, as they are school teachers and government employees who are under duress to complete the process within a short span of time.

West Bengal Election Commission (EC), however, says Bose was called for the hearing as the progeny linkage column was left blank.

“I was asked to leave it blank because they could not find my name in the 2002 SIR. But my name is very much there. The BLO asked me to leave it blank, as I was shown a list of voters and I could not find my name; she said 'leave it blank'. Later on, after we submitted the form, she said she found my name. She should have attached that even though the data was uploaded. She said my name got missed out, they found my name, but that I might be called for hearing and I have to show my passport and it will be done," added Bose.

The former BJP vice-president speaks about the harassment caused to people standing in huge queues for hearings and questions the efficiency of the Centre.

“It is a total mess. I am not worried that I had to appear, stand in the queue for over an hour, but there are people living in the districts, they are travelling 30-40km, they are falling sick, some people have died standing in the queue. Why this harassment prior to elections? It could have been done in a period of six months," questions Bose, while also saying the Centre is doubting their own system of identity documents issued if Aadhar card or PAN card is not accepted.

While speaking about infiltration and the main mission of conducting SIR is to weed out voters, Bose asks, “You are hassling 10 crore people for maybe a small percentage of fake voters. Where are the infiltrators and thousands and lakhs of Rohingyas? I don’t see them.”

While Bose says his name appears in the 2002 list, his wife and children’s names do not feature in the list as they did not vote that time.

Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose's Family Gets SIR Hearing Notice, Calls It Harassment

Though Chandra Kumar Bose’s name was in the 2002 Special Intensive Revision (SIR) list, the Booth Level Officer (BLO) could not find it until after uploading the enumeration form for details on the BLO app. Grandnephew of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose, his wife Usha Bose and daughter appeared for SIR hearing on January 16, while also appearing on behalf of their two sons who stay outside Kolkata.

"They did not give any valid reason. I asked the person who was there for the hearing. He mentioned some linkage problem. The linkage has to be done by them, not me," said Chandra Bose. He also says the Booth-Level Officers (BLOs) are government teachers not proficient in understanding the technicalities of Special Intensive Revision (SIR), as they are school teachers and government employees who are under duress to complete the process within a short span of time.

The West Bengal Election Commission (EC), however, says Bose was called for the hearing as the progeny linkage column was left blank in his form.

"I was asked to leave it blank because they could not find my name in the 2002 SIR list. But my name is very much there. The Booth Level Officer (BLO) asked me to leave it blank, as I was shown a list of voters and I could not find my name; she said 'leave it blank'. Later on, after we submitted the form, she said she found my name. She should have attached that even though the data was uploaded. She said my name got missed out, they found my name, but that I might be called for a hearing, show my passport, and it will be done," added Bose.

The former BJP vice-president speaks about the harassment caused to people standing in huge queues for hearings and questions the efficiency of the Union government.

"It is a total mess. I am not worried that I had to appear, stand in the queue for over an hour, but there are people living in outer districts, they are travelling 30-40km, they are falling sick, and some people have died standing in the queue. Why this harassment prior to elections? It could have been done in a period of six months," questions Bose, while also saying the Union government is doubting their own system of identity documents issued if Aadhaar card or PAN card is not accepted.

"You are hassling 10 crore people for maybe a small percentage of fake voters. Where are the infiltrators and thousands and lakhs of Rohingyas? I don’t see them."

While Bose says his name appears in the 2002 list, his wife and children's names do not feature in the list as they did not vote that time.