In Matua-dominated Ranaghat, Amit Shah slams Trinamool for opposing CAA

Kolkata: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday attacked the Trinamool Congress and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for their opposition to the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) at Ranaghat in West Bengal's Nadia district, a constituency dominated by voters belonging to the Matua community.

“A large number of people from the Matua community live here as refugees. Trinamool and Mamata Banerjee’s opposition to CAA means they do not want the Matua brothers and sisters to get citizenship.

"That is why the Trinamool is mobilising the infiltrators to demonstrate against the CAA. I want to ask you, shouldn't CAA be implemented,” Amit Shah said at the rally in support of BJP candidate and sitting MP, Jagannath Sarkar.

To recall, on March 11, the Centre notified the Citizenship (Amendment) Rules 2024, thus paving the way for enforcing the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), which seeks to grant Indian citizenship to persecuted Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, Buddhists, Parsis and Christians who came to India from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan before December 31, 2014.

The news triggered celebrations among the members of the Matua community, a backward-class Hindu group that came to West Bengal as refugees from neighbouring Bangladesh.

Claiming that no one can stop the implementation of CAA, the Home Minister said, “Every genuine refugee will be granted citizenship through CAA and that is the promise of Prime Minister Narendra Modi."

Matuas constitute a substantial section of voters in Nadia, North 24 Parganas, and East Burdwan districts.

Amit Shah also accused Mamata Banerjee of spreading falsehood about the free rice being provided by the Centre.

“Five kg free rice is being provided by the Union government and Prime Minister Modi. But the Chief Minister is claiming that she is providing the free rice,” he said.

The Home Minister also said that by abrogating Article Section 370 from Jammu & Kashmir, the Prime Minister has put an end to terrorism to a great extent in the region.

“Once the BJP comes to power in West Bengal, it will mean the end corruption, infiltration, and terror here as well,” he claimed.