BETTIAH, Aug. 17 -- Amid the political row over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, several Nepali women married to Indian citizens have found their names deleted from voter lists in the Champaran region of Bihar, triggering demands for leniency in citizenship rules for such cases. Speaking to Hindustan Times, Mahesh Agarwal, Bihar state coordinator of Seema Jagran Manch, an organisation active in Bihar which works to promote border security and awareness through mutual cooperation and understanding of the citizens of two countries, stressed on the need of leniency for Nepali women tying nuptial knot with Indian citizens. "Our parivar, byahaar and vypaar (family, relationship and business) means a lot to promote bonhomie which, in effect, helps strengthen our border security by arresting nefarious activities with individual level efforts," said Agarwal. "Ours is a 'Roti-Beti ka Rishta' (which roughly means a relationship akin to two families) between India and Nepal. Past ten years are anything to go by, there happen to 30-35 marriages from each panchayat along the border every year which has witnessed a sharp decline post corona-time largely because of route designing for the vehicular movement," said Agarwal, describing it as an infringement social and familial bonds that have intertwined the lives of people in India and Nepal. According to Bihar Seema Jagaran Manch, Bihar shares about 730 kilometre- long border with Nepal which is spread over 32 blocks in seven districts with Nepal. These districts include West Champaran, East Champaran, Sitamarhi, Madhubani, Supaul, Araria, and Kishanganj. "There are 1,531 first villages along border and thus number of cross-border weddings taking can be estimated each year," said Bihar Seema Jagaran Manch's coordinator. But in recent past, there has been a progressive decline in matrimonial alliance between the two countries due to new designing of route and other cumbersome formalities coming into place, Agarwal said, Seema Jagaran Manch favoured special status for the citizens dwelling along the border areas to enhance the bondings of the two countries. However, 35-year-old Dhananjay Kumar Soni, a resident of Valmikinagar in West Champaran district, is a disgruntled lot following the deletion of his wife Ranjana Devi's name after Special Intensive Revision (SIR). Soni married Ranjana, daughter of Bhoj Bahadur who hails from Baruwa in Nawalparasi district of Nepal in 2010. "She exercised her franchise during the last Lok Sabha and assembly elections but I am shocked to find her name omitted from the list. She had submitted a residential certificate. While 11 other members' names in the list, Rajana's name is conspicuous by its absence," said downcast Soni, who runs a garment shop in Valmikinagar. Sharing the similar fate, 35-year-old Diwakar Sharma, a resident of Nepali Tola in Ramnagar area of West Champaran, says his wife Dipti Sharma, 25, stands deleted after SIR. Hailing from Kusama village in Nepal's Parwat district, Dipti Sharma, daughter of Krishna Prasad Pathak was married to Diwakar Prasad, who works as a priest in a temple at Ramnagar, in 2018. "My wife has exercised the franchise in two elections including Lok Sabha's, yet her name stands deleted," said Sharma, adding he had submitted a residential certificate in support. However, 52-year-old Ramesh Mahato of Daruwabari village near Valmikinagar had a different experience. He said he faced no difficulty in getting his wife Rambha Devi (45) enrolled in the voter list....