'BJP committed to implement CAA': Mukul Roy in presence of Matua neta Shantanu Thakur

Even as the BJP is moving back and forth on the issue of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) ahead of the crucial West Bengal assembly polls, its leader Mukul Roy has assured that the Centre is committed to giving citizenship to the refugees. The leader has squarely blamed CM Mamata Banerjee for opposing citizenship of the Matua community. The Matuas, originally hailing from East Pakistan (present-day Bangladesh), started migrating to West Bengal in the 1950s, mostly due to religious persecution. In the Lok Sabha polls, the community, under the leadership of BJP MP from Bongaon, Shantanu Thakur, voted en-masse for BJP due to the CAA. However, the absence of Thakur from BJP rallies in his area and even during Amit Shah's and JP Nadda's visit to the state has raised eyebrows. 

On Thursday, with an aim to assuage the concerns of the community, senior BJP leader Roy said, "BJP is committed to provide  citizenship rights to the Matua community through CAA. Due to COVID-19, there has been a delay in the formation of the rules of CAA but Centre will soon form the rules and ensure citizenship rights to Matuas and other refugees. We will speak to all political parties in the state and will work on the rehabilitation of the Matuas. But the Mamata Banerjee government is opposing the move." Moreover, what came as a relief to BJP, was the presence of Shantanu Thakur alongside Roy on the stage.  

READ | WB CM Mamata Makes Surprise Detour To Tribal Village, Cooks Vegetables, Drinks Tea; WATCH 

READ | Abhishek Banerjee's 'saree & bangles' misogyny slammed, BJP asks 'insult to Pishi Mamata?'

BJP and its stance on CAA

On December 6, senior BJP leader Kailash Vijayvargiya, said that the Citizenship (Amendment) Act is likely to be implemented from January next year. Vijayvargiya added that the Centre is keen to grant citizenship to the large refugee population in the state. He also accused the ruling Trinamool Congress government of not being sympathetic to the cause of the refugees.

"We are hopeful that the process of granting citizenship to refugees under the CAA will begin from January next year. The Centre has passed the CAA with the honest intention of granting citizenship to persecuted refugees coming to our country from neighbouring nations," he said in North 24 Parganas. 

However, on December 20, Home Minister Amit Shah said that the rules of CAA are yet to be framed and the law will be acted upon after COVID vaccine inoculation is done. "Rules of CAA are yet to be framed. Due to Coronavirus, such a massive drive cannot be undertaken and hence after inoculation, we will think about it," said Shah. When asked about his 'understand the chronology' remark, Shah said, "Let the first part of the chronology be fulfilled".

READ | Amit Shah Says 'CAA Rules To Be Framed After COVID Vaccination'; Opines On Centre V Mamata

The Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) seeks to grant citizenship to non-Muslim migrants belonging to Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Christian, Jain and Parsi communities who came to the country from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan on or before December 31, 2014. The Parliament passed the Citizenship Amendment Bill on December 11, 2019, and President Ram Nath Kovind gave assent to the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2019 on December 12.

READ | CM Mamata Shares Stage With Baul Singer Basudeb After Amit Shah's Lunch At His Home; WATCH