Mamata Woos Matuas with "Unconditional" Citizenship Promise, Slams BJP's "Chholona" Tactics

On Thursday, Mamata Banerjee, the chief minister, said that the Narendra Modi administration had used chholona, or trickery, to win over the Matuas with the promise of citizenship.

"All of you are Indian citizens. How could you acquire an Aadhaar, PAN, or Swasthya sathi unless you are a citizen? How could you get rations? The BJP is being dishonest with its citizenship offer. Stay out of the trap, she urged.

She restated that all Matua and Bangladeshi refugees were citizens of India, but she also insisted that district judges be given the authority to provide citizenship certificates—a practice that was previously popular.

Speaking at a training for Trinamul Congress members in Chakla, North 24-Parganas, Mamata brought up the matter. Members of the Matua community are anticipated to be pivotal in the district's Bongaon and, to a lesser degree, Barasat Lok Sabha constituencies.

In 2019, the BJP defeated Trinamul in the nearby Ranaghat seat in Nadia and Bongaon in North 24-Parganas, with Matuas voting for the saffron candidates on the basis of citizenship promises.

The BJP won four of the seven Assembly segments in Bongaon and all seven Assembly seats under the Matua-dominated Ranaghat parliamentary constituency in the 2021 Assembly elections, demonstrating the Matuas' sustained predisposition towards the party.

In an effort to win back the community's support, Mamata said on Thursday that her government would never let the Center to carry out the Citizenship (Amendment) Act. She also asked the people to have trust in her, as she would guarantee their "unconditional" citizenship.

Reminding party employees—many of whom were Matuas—that the district magistrate used to have the power to issue citizenship cards, she called for the system to be reinstated.

"The citizenship cards may be issued by district judges. However, the Center has taken the authority only for political purposes. They are dividing people now, she said. "Who are you (BJP) to interfere? Give the district magistrates the authority to issue the citizenship card," the woman shouted.

Mamata pleaded with Matua members not to be "misled," claiming that her administration had protected the land rights of Bangladeshi immigrants to India till 1971.

We have provided you with a permanent address and reaffirm our promise to uphold your rights.Don't misinterpret us, however," she continued.

The Matuas believed that their issues would be permanently resolved when the controversial Citizenship Amendment Act was tabled by the Narendra Modi-led Union government in 2019, after their election to a second term. But in the past four years, things have altered as the Hindu refugees from Bangladesh await the CAA's implementation, though it is unclear when that will happen.

The Matuas seem to be a split house ahead of the Lok Sabha vote, partly because to the unpredictability surrounding the CAA's future and the ongoing attempts of the Trinamul Congress and other political parties to call the BJP's apparent bluff.

One faction is close to the BJP, while the other is loyal to the Trinamul. The lack of established legal requirements has caused the Matuas to grow restless and worried, leading them to distrust the intentions of the BJP.

The pro-Trinamul group of All India Matua Mahasangha, led by Mamatabala Thakur, staged a protest in Calcutta on Thursday to reaffirm their demand for "unconditional" citizenship, taking advantage of the circumstances.

In order to guarantee full citizenship for all Matuas, the group urged that all riders be removed from the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) immediately.

The former Bongaon MP for the Trinamul Congress said, "Everyone Matua is a citizen of the country," while addressing a sizable crowd at Esplanade.Nobody ought to tamper with our rights. We're going to do a hunger strike in Delhi.

The group emphasized that a formal document guaranteeing unrestricted citizenship rights be required, with a deadline of December 31, 2019, for eligibility.

Prasenjit Biswas, the organization's joint secretary, stated: "BJP brings up citizenship before the election to get votes.However, genuine citizenship remained elusive. We implored the leaders of the BJP to not deceive Matuas again.