Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari on Saturday signalled a renewed push for the implementation of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) in West Bengal, announcing a six-month target to resolve all pending applications in the state.
Speaking at a certificate distribution ceremony, Adhikari said that following discussions with the Union Home Secretary, the Ministry of Home Affairs would soon delegate legal and administrative powers to District Magistrates to expedite the processing of applications. He added that, on the lines of Gujarat and Rajasthan, the process of decentralising authority is expected to begin within the next month.
The event, jointly organised by the North 24 Parganas district administration and the State Home Department, saw the distribution of CAA certificates to several beneficiaries, both physically and virtually. Among those present were State Home Secretary Sanghamitra Ghosh, Cabinet Ministers Arjun Singh and Kalyan Chakraborty, along with MLAs from both ruling and opposition parties.
Presenting official data, the Chief Minister stated that 23,956 individuals in West Bengal have so far received CAA certificates. Since the current government assumed office, 5,966 certificates have been issued over the past 11 weeks. A total of 2,30,605 applications have been submitted in the state, with Nadia district leading at 10,191 beneficiaries, followed by North 24 Parganas with 8,930 recipients.
The human impact of the policy was reflected in the words of an elderly beneficiary who said she had migrated from Bagerhat in Bangladesh in 2006 and had lived in fear for years. “I thank the Prime Minister and the Chief Minister,” she said after receiving her certificate.
Adhikari invoked the historical context of displacement, recalling the movement led by P.R. Thakur and the aftermath of the 1947 Partition, to underline the long-standing struggle of refugees from neighbouring countries. He referred to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s 2019 assurance in Thakurnagar, the passage of the CAA in Parliament, and the subsequent notification of rules on March 6, 2024, after delays caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Launching a sharp attack on the previous Trinamool Congress (TMC) government, Adhikari alleged that it had misled citizens —particularly the Muslim community — by equating the CAA with the NRC and spreading fear about potential loss of jobs and welfare benefits. He claimed that misinformation campaigns had led to unrest and damage to public property, adding that the current participation of opposition MLAs in the event reflected a shift in perception.
The Chief Minister also addressed concerns regarding individuals eligible under the CAA but facing legal complications. He said the government would facilitate their speedy release on bail through public prosecutors where applicable and issued directives to ensure that no citizen faces harassment over CAA-related matters.
In addition, the state government has committed to ensuring the phased inclusion of eligible beneficiaries in electoral rolls and the issuance of Scheduled Caste certificates immediately after they receive their citizenship documents.
Officials indicated that the accelerated implementation of the CAA is being positioned not only as a legal process but also as a measure to address long-pending humanitarian concerns of displaced communities.
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