KOLKATA: The BJP-RSS meeting which was held at a city hotel in Salt Lake in the last two days stressed upon the need for a more aggressive campaign towards Citizenship Amendment Act ( CAA) and the push to set up its campaigns in Bengal.
It was also decided that those who have submitted their applications for CAA should not have to face any harassment from any quarters that needs to be ensured by the BJP grassroots workers .
The meeting was attended by BJP state president Shamik Bhattacharya, North Bengal BJP chief Dipak Barman, Sukanta Majumder, Suvendu Adhikari and a few RSS functionaries including BL Santosh and Jishnu Bose.
Bhattacharya said: “CAA is a law passed under the BJP’s rule to help persecuted minorities, especially Hindus from neighbouring countries. Its smooth implementation is our responsibility. There have been issues related to documentation. It has been taken care of by BJP.”
With the CAA rules notified in 2024, allowing persecuted non-Muslim migrants from Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan, who entered India before December 31, 2014, to apply for citizenship, the BJP is now in overdrive, attempting to both rebuild trust and correct course after initial confusion.
Many applicants had earlier tried to apply online but dropped out midway after realising they lacked valid documentation.
The volunteers should help elderly applicants fill forms under BJP tents. Mobile booths have to be set up in various villages.
“As per CAA’s 10-D clause, no persecuted non-Muslim refugee who entered India before 31 December 2014 can be expelled for lack of documents. This needs to be seen accurately,” added Bhattacharya.