Former Lok Sabha MP and Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury wrote to Union Home Minister Amit Shah. He urged Shah to issue an ordinance safeguarding the citizenship rights of the Matua community in West Bengal.
Chowdhury emphasised that the government must issue an ordinance to protect the Matuas. He said the ordinance is necessary to protect them from strict documentation rules.
The rules are part of the Election Commission’s ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR).
The Matuas, a backwards-class Hindu refugee community from Bangladesh, have historically settled in districts like North 24 Parganas and Nadia.
Chowdhury highlighted that the Matuas have long integrated into India’s social and democratic fabric. He noted that they endured persecution, displacement, and hardships after migrating from East Pakistan (now Bangladesh).
Safeguarding Matua Citizenship Rights
Chowdhury visited Thakurnagar in the Bangaon subdivision on Thursday. There, a section of the Matuas, under the All India Matua Mahasangha banner, is on a hunger strike.
They are demanding exemption from the documentation requirements for the ongoing electoral revision.
Chowdhury witnessed the fasting community members’ fear, anxiety, and concern for their future as Indian citizens.
In his letter, Chowdhury assured the Matuas of his full support and commitment to their struggle for justice.
He argued that the Union Government extended the CAA cutoff date for victims of religious persecution. The new date now runs from December 31, 2014, to December 31, 2024.
He added that the government should grant similar humanitarian consideration to the Matua community.
Chowdhury urged the government to introduce an ordinance before the Winter Session of Parliament.
He urged the ordinance to protect Matua citizenship and safeguard their voting rights in the Assembly and Parliamentary elections.
Chowdhury warned that authorities could undermine decades of electoral participation by Matuas by insisting on nearly 25-year-old documents. He added that this historically marginalised and displaced population cannot reasonably produce such records.
His intervention underscores the urgency of protecting a vulnerable community’s legal and electoral rights. It ensures that the Matuas can continue contributing to India’s democratic process without fear or disenfranchisement.
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