In a recent address to the Matua community at Thakurnagar in North 24 Parganas district, Union Minister of State for Home Affairs, Ajay Mishra, made a significant announcement regarding the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA). The minister stated that the final draft of the CAA is expected to be ready by March 30, 2024.
The Citizenship (Amendment) Act, commonly known as CAA, was passed by the Parliament in December 2019. The act aims to grant Indian citizenship to Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis, and Christians from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, and Pakistan who entered India before December 31, 2014.
Addressing the gathering, Minister Ajay Mishra assured the Matua community that their citizenship rights are secure and that no one can snatch them away. He emphasized that the Act includes provisions to protect individuals in the absence of proper documents, preventing any adverse actions.
Minister Mishra was joined by Minister of State for Shipping and Bongaon BJP MP Santanu Thakur at the event. The Matua community has been a significant focus, and Mishra highlighted that the process to roll out CAA has gained momentum in the last couple of years.
He expressed optimism about the final draft being ready by March 2024, eliciting thunderous applause from the audience. The assurance comes in the backdrop of ongoing efforts to address issues and streamline the implementation of the CAA.
However, not everyone shares the same enthusiasm. TMC Rajya Sabha MP Santanu Sen, while acknowledging the rights of the Matuas as citizens, accused the saffron party of remembering the community and the CAA only during elections. He expressed skepticism about the BJP's ability to roll out the CAA in West Bengal, stating that the Trinamool Congress has already safeguarded the rights of the Matuas.
As political discourse continues around the CAA, it remains to be seen how the situation unfolds in the coming months. The March 2024 deadline set by Union Minister Ajay Mishra adds a temporal dimension to the ongoing discussions, and its implications are likely to resonate in the political landscape