Kolkata: As central BJP leaders push for Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) camps in Bengal’s border districts to help Hindu refugees secure citizenship, divisions have surfaced within the state unit, with some fearing that the upcoming voter list revision could exclude sections of the Matua community.
BJP national general secretary (organisation) BL Santhosh, who chaired a workshop on the CAA drive, announced plans for around 700 camps across 17 districts, focusing on border areas such as North 24-Parganas, Nadia, Cooch Behar, and North Dinajpur. He also attended a ‘Bhai Phonta’ celebration to strengthen grassroots connections ahead of the 2026 Assembly polls.
The BJP has already trained workers and leaders on how to conduct CAA camps. Trainees will now guide others in helping persecuted Hindu refugees apply for citizenship certificates before the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral roll.
The Bengal BJP aims to expand the number of CAA camps statewide before the poll campaign. While leaders denied any link between the camps and the upcoming SIR exercise to be announced by the Election Commission, some within the party believe obtaining citizenship certificates is crucial for those who arrived in India after 2002. BJP leader and former Union minister Nishith Pramanik expressed concern that the Election Commission’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) could lead to the removal of up to 1.2 crore voters from the rolls.
Matua leader and BJP MLA from Harinagata, Ashim Sarkar, cautioned that the community would not spare even the BJP if it failed to prioritise granting citizenship to Matuas.
“In the name of voter list rectification, the names of Hindu BJP supporters, particularly Matuas, are being removed. This conspiracy has been ongoing in the border areas of Ranaghat and Bongaon,” Sarkar alleged.