In West Bengal’s political arena, a mental health study by AIIMS‑Kalyani has erupted into a fiery dispute—Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee cautioned residents that it may be a covert exercise to gather data for the National Register of Citizens (NRC) under the guise of mental health evaluation.
At a press briefing in Nabanna, she warned citizens not to divulge personal information to anyone except verified state officials and urged verification before participating in any study. The CM declared that her government bears no responsibility for such initiatives unless officially announced.
Mamata asserted that although AIIMS‑Kalyani was granted land by the state, it doesn’t inform the state about its events or scope. She insisted that its purported focus on mental health seems questionable.
In riposte, AIIMS‑Kalyani emphasized that this survey is part of the second phase of the National Mental Health Survey under NIMHANS, Bengaluru, conducted scientifically and ethically in seven West Bengal districts in coordination with the state health department. All tools used are validated by WHO and NIMHANS.
Thus, what was intended as a public health initiative has been engulfed in mistrust, becoming emblematic of deeper political tension over citizenship and data transparency in the state.