RBI governor’s ‘birth certificate’ kicks up controversy in Bhopal

The ‘birth certificate’ of Reserve Bank of India governor Raghuram Rajan, which went viral on social media on Friday, has kicked up a controversy in Bhopal.

The ‘birth certificate’ of Reserve Bank of India governor Raghuram Rajan, which went viral on social media on Friday, has kicked up a controversy in Bhopal.

RBI governor Raghuram Rajan atSarangpani lake in Bhopal. The lake has been named after Rajan's grandfather S Sarangpani, who was managing director of the BHEL in 1960s.(Hindustan Times)

Though the Bhopal Municipal Corporation (BMC) commissioner Chhavi Bhardwaj has denied having issued a birth certificate in the name of Rajan, official sources said such a birth certificate was indeed prepared and there was a plan to hand over the same to the RBI governor during his stay in the city.

Bhardwaj on Saturday ordered an inquiry to probe who “forged the birth certificate document”, saying that BMC cannot issue a birth certificate without an application or following the due procedure. She also denied reports that the birth certificate was handed over to the RBI governor.

Bhardwaj told HT the BMC cannot prepare a birth certificate on its own. “I want to make it clear that no birth certificate was handed over by me or the chief minister to the RBI governor. I don’t know from where the photo of the certificate went viral on social media and WhatsApp groups,” she said.

She further said that certificate seems to be forged. “I have also issued a show cause notice to BMC health officer, who is also the registrar (birth and death)”, she said. The birth certificate carries the signature of the BMC registrar (birth and death), without giving any detail about the address or hospital where Rajan was born.

Rajan was born in Bhopal on February 3, 1963 and had spent some of his childhood here.

Bhardwaj said if someone did not have a birth certificate, he or she has to produce the proof of their birth at a hospital or a house before the tehsildar or naib tehsildar of that area.

“When the tehsildar verifies the case and gives his or her permission, then the BMC’s registrar of birth and death, prepares the birth certificate of the person,” she said.

When HT visited the office of the registrar (birth and death) in Old Bhopal, an official said the signature on the certificate was that of registrar Chiman Lal Kalyane and seems to be a genuine document.

“The certificate has been prepared following the order number 1690/28.04.2016,” the official said.