Who would have thought that the daughter of a freedom fighter would have to prove her "Indian-ness"? 73-year-old Seje Bala Ghosh, daughter of a freedom fighter, in Assam’s Bongaigaon district had to fight a three-year-long legal battle for her citizenship and to prove that she is an Indian after receiving a notice from a Foreigners' Tribunal (FT) in March 2020.
"I couldn’t read it and I asked the police to tell me what my crime is. They said, the court (FT) believes that I am an illegal migrant from Bangladesh and I have to appear before the court," she said as reported by Assam-based NGO Citizens For Justice and Peace.
The tribunal questioned her status as an illegal migrant from Bangladesh, leaving her with a legal battle that concluded with the recent declaration of her Indian nationality.
"My father was a freedom fighter. He was a close associate of Chandra Shekhar Azad Ji and sacrificed a lot for this country’s freedom. But after seven decades of independence, his daughter was called an illegal migrant, this is a shame," Seje said.
Ghosh, living alone in Bongaigaon's Salbagan village, expressed her anguish at the insult to her father's sacrifices. Despite her victory, she still feels questioning her citizenship is a humiliation of her father’s contribution to the nation’s freedom struggle.
The legal journey began when a police team delivered an FT notice in March 2020, alleging that Ghosh was an illegal migrant. Assisted by the Citizens for Justice and Peace (CJP), she prepared a defence, appointing advocate Dewan Abdur Rahim to present her case.
Documents revealed her father's migration to India in 1947, his inclusion in the National Register of Citizens in 1951, and various other supporting records.
Members of the FT have confirmed the validity of documents attesting to Seje Bala's father's presence in India, including the Refugee Registration certificate, Passport, NRC of 1951, and the voter list of 1958. Further, her mother's name is documented in the Donation Slip of 1962 and the voter list of 1966 in Mangaldoi.
Seje Bala's inclusion in the voters' lists of 1989, 1997, 2005, 2011, and 2020 in Bongaigaon was also noted in the hearing. Additionally, she possesses an OBC certificate and a ration card.
A relationship certificate with her father, Digendra Chandra Ghosh, issued by the Chairman of Bongaigaon Municipal Board in 1994, has been submitted and recognised by the FT as a valid document in her favour.
Despite facing physical challenges, including a broken leg, Ghosh had to go through multiple hearings to be declared as an Indian, finally in FT's opinion on November 4, 2023. The tribunal acknowledged her family's move to India in 1947 and validated documents spanning decades, establishing her father's presence in official records.
"At the age of 73 years, this government has made me go to Court. Maybe this was written in my destiny. But Bhagwan (God) will make them pay. I will not say anything more, Bhagwan is watching everything, I had to suffer a lot, my hand and my foot were fractured due to the intense harassment caused by this case." Seje recalled emotionally.
Reportedly, Lt. Digendra Chandra Ghosh, Seje Bala's father, was a close associate of the renowned revolutionary freedom fighter Chandra Sekhar Azad.
While Ghosh remains dignified in victory, she reflects on the emotional toll, asserting that her journey to court at the age of 73 was a shameful episode. With a legacy tied to a prominent freedom fighter, her resilience prevailed, offering a testament to the endurance of truth amid bureaucratic challenges.