West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee says Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s official birth date was not December 25

Kolkata: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said on Tuesday, while speaking on lack of institutional delivery facilities in the past and hence problems related to issuance of birth certificates, the official birthday of late Prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee was not December 25.

“Atalji was affectionate towards me. Once when I greeted Atalji on his birthday on December 25, Atalji told me that it was not his official birthday,” Banerjee claimed.

Elaborating that Banerjee was in BJP because of Atal Behari Vajpayee, she said, “Atalji told me that it was not his official birthday as the date was given by parents,” Banerjee said.


“Atal ji is no longer with us. One day, I had asked him, “Atal ji, were you born on the same day as Jesus Christ, on December 25?” He replied, “No, that is not my real birthday. Whatever date my parents had registered officially became my birthday.” I told him mine was the same, and not to call me on my ‘official’ birthday,” Banerjee said.

The CM has earlier also spoke about the birth certificate issue in connection with birth certificates as Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls

“During our time, there were hardly any institutional births. I was born at home in Birbhum and like most others back then. Our education certificates often became our official birth certificates. There are many cases like mine,” she said.