NEW DELHI: On Saturday, West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari declared that all pending citizenship applications under the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) in the state will be resolved within the next six months. He emphasized that the purpose of the CAA is to grant citizenship, not to revoke it.
During a citizenship certificate distribution event in New Town, where approximately 300 members of the Matua community from North 24 Parganas district received their certificates, Adhikari accused the former Trinamool Congress (TMC) administration of spreading misinformation about the CAA for their own “political gains.”
“The CAA is designed to grant citizenship, not to strip anyone of their citizenship,” he stated, as reported by the news agency PTI. The Chief Minister encouraged all eligible individuals to apply for citizenship under the Act, promising that more certificates would be issued in the near future.
Progress on Citizenship Certificates
Highlighting the state’s achievements in implementing the CAA, Adhikari mentioned that nearly 24,000 citizenship certificates have been issued to date, including 5,966 certificates in the past 11 weeks since the BJP assumed power. According to him, the state has received a total of 2,30,605 applications under the CAA.
Nadia district has seen the highest number of beneficiaries, with 10,191 citizenship certificates, followed closely by North 24 Parganas, which has issued 8,930 certificates.
Delegation of Powers for Fast-Tracking Applications
Adhikari also announced that discussions have taken place with the Union Home Secretary regarding the empowerment of district magistrates to expedite the processing of CAA applications, a move expected to begin within the month. He noted that similar powers are already being exercised by district magistrates in Gujarat and Rajasthan.
“Following discussions with the Union home secretary, the process of delegating legal and administrative powers to district magistrates for the speedy disposal of CAA applications is expected to begin within a month,” he stated.
Clarifying Misconceptions About CAA
Reiterating the intent of the CAA, the Chief Minister stated that the legislation aims to provide Indian citizenship to eligible refugees, not to deprive anyone of their rights. The CAA, enacted by Parliament in 2019, allows Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis, and Christians fleeing religious persecution in Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan and who entered India before December 31, 2014, to obtain Indian citizenship.
Adhikari recalled Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s commitment made to the Matua community before the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, promising Indian citizenship to eligible refugees from Bangladesh. Implementation of the Act was delayed until March 6, 2024, due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Previous Government’s Alleged Misinformation
In his address, Adhikari criticized the previous TMC government for conflating the CAA with the National Register of Citizens (NRC), which he claimed led to public confusion, especially among Muslim communities. He asserted, “The previous government projected the CAA as the NRC and misled the people, particularly the Muslim community. False propaganda claimed that applying under the CAA would lead to job losses, ration benefits, or removal from the Lakshmir Bhandar financial assistance scheme.”
He further asserted that such misinformation had led to vandalism of government property during protests, stating, “Today, the truth has come out, and even MLAs from the opposition have voluntarily attended this government program.”
Support for Eligible Beneficiaries
Adhikari indicated that the state government will assist CAA beneficiaries who are facing legal issues or are incarcerated due to documentation challenges by facilitating their release on bail. He also instructed the state police to ensure that no eligible applicants encounter harassment related to the CAA.
The government will also facilitate the inclusion of beneficiaries in electoral rolls once citizenship is granted and ensure that eligible applicants receive Scheduled Caste certificates in a timely manner.
One beneficiary, a woman refugee from Bagerhat in Bangladesh, expressed her gratitude after receiving her citizenship certificate, stating, “I lived in Bagerhat in Bangladesh and came to India in 2006. I had been living in fear for so many years. I thank the Prime Minister and the Chief Minister.”
Census Distinction
This announcement coincides with West Bengal commencing the self-enumeration phase of the country’s 16th Census. Adhikari reiterated that the Census process and illegal immigration are distinct matters, making a clear distinction between illegal immigrants and refugees covered under the CAA. He reassured that eligible refugees under the CAA would be protected while illegal immigrants would not be entitled to government welfare benefits. Additionally, he mentioned that the Census would facilitate a more efficient delivery of government welfare schemes through a permanent database.
