India

West Bengal CM Promises Completion of CAA Citizenship Process by End of Year

By PTI

West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari announced that his government will finish processing all eligible applications under the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) by December 31. He said the previous Trinamool Congress administration had left thousands of applications pending, particularly in Nadia and North 24 Parganas, districts with many people who migrated from Bangladesh. During the inauguration of a Kali Puja pandal in Aranghata, Nadia, Adhikari noted that about 2.5 lakh applications were still pending in the two border districts. He pledged that no eligible applicant would be left out and that citizenship certificates would be issued within the stipulated period. To expedite the process, his administration has taken responsibility and initiated administrative steps to clear the backlog. District magistrates have received training from the Home Department, and sub‑divisional officers will supervise verification of applications and conduct hearings to ensure timely disposal. The CAA, passed by Parliament in December 2019, provides a pathway to Indian citizenship for Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis and Christians from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan who entered India on or before December 31 2014 after facing religious persecution. The Centre notified the rules under the Act in March 2024, enabling its implementation more than four years after passage. The issue is politically significant in Nadia and North 24 Parganas, especially among the Matua community, whose members have long sought legal citizenship status following migration from Bangladesh. Adhikari also accused the former government of creating obstacles to religious and cultural activities, citing restrictions on Durga Puja celebrations and immersion processions. In a separate announcement, he said the state government will spend ₹1,000 crore over the next two years on renovating and restoring old maths and temples under a proposed initiative called the ‘Tirthakshetra Circuit’. The project will cover religious institutions managed by trusts, ‘debottar’ bodies and public organisations, while privately owned establishments will be excluded.