Shantanu Thakur to Apply for Citizenship Under CAA Amid Unrest in Matua-Dominated Areas, Counters TMC Allegations

Amid escalating tensions in Matua-inhabited areas of Bengal, particularly directed at Schedule 1A of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), Union Minister and Bongaon MP Shantanu Thakur has announced his intention to seek citizenship under the CAA rules to debunk TMC’s “wilful misinformation” against it.

Thakur's announcement, made late on Saturday, coincided with sporadic protests among Matua factions in Chakdah, Nadia, on March 14th, and warnings of renewed demonstrations from the Sara Bharat Matua Mahasangha's (SBMM) Malda unit.

According to a report of TOI, Thakur said, I will apply (for citizenship under CAA). But I could not have done it too. My grandfather had his (Indian) citizenship card. And he had migrated. I will do it only to debunk the illogical claims being made.

Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and her party, the TMC, have initiated a sharp anti-CAA campaign, contending that seeking citizenship anew under the CAA would strip individuals of their entitlements to existing Aadhaar-linked social welfare programs. They argue that this move would significantly disrupt people's daily routines by rendering all their current identification documents obsolete.

Banerjee has further asserted that the CAA is intricately connected to the National Register of Citizens (NRC). In response, Shantanu Thakur has stated, Whatever is stipulated in Schedule 1A regarding the requirement of Bangladeshi documents is to ensure that no terrorist bodies use it to give Indian citizenship to anyone. These Bangladeshi documents will help establish one is a clean person. If you do not have it, you have to get a written certified undertaking from a registered body, Thakur said.