Citizenship for Matuas soon, no one can deny them their right: Union Minister

Mishra said the final draft of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act or CAA is expected to be ready by March 30 next year.

The BJP in 2021 had promised to implement their demand for Indian citizenship if it won the Assembly elections. (File photo)

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Union Minister of State for Home Ajay Mishra on Sunday claimed that the Matua community in West Bengal will get citizenship soon and no one cannot deny them their right as the final draft of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) is likely to be ready by March 30 next year.

Addressing a public meeting in Thakurnagar of North 24 Parganas district, Mishra said, “The process to roll out CAA has been sped up in the last couple of years. Some issues are being sorted out. Let me assure you that no one can snatch citizenship rights from the Matuas. By March next year, the final draft of the CAA is expected to be ready for coming into force.”

Local BJP MP and Union Minister Santanu Thakur was also present at the meeting.

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The CAA seeks to grant Indian citizenship to Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis, and Christians from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, and Pakistan who entered India before December 31, 2014.

Reacting to Mishra’s remarks, Trinamool Congress’ Rajya Sabha MP Santanu Sen said, “The BJP only remembers Matuas and CAA before the elections. But it will never be able to implement CAA in West Bengal. The BJP’s false claims are becoming clear by the day.”

Matuas belong to the Scheduled Caste Namasudra community that migrated to India in large numbers, first during the Partition, and then after the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War. Most of the 3 crore Matuas in West Bengal live in North 24 Parganas and Nadia districts.

Because of the circumstances under which they migrated to India, many of them never formally received Indian citizenship, making this a long-standing demand of the community. Their support is crucial for political parties to win the rural elections in the state. The BJP in 2021 had promised to implement their demand for Indian citizenship if it won the Assembly elections.

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