Kolkata: West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari on Wednesday announced the enforcement of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) in the state, stating that illegal immigrants not covered under the Act would be arrested and handed over to the Border Security Force (BSF) for deportation.
Enforcement of CAA in Bengal
Adhikari declared that the Act is being enforced in the state from today. He said the BSF will coordinate with the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) to deport illegal immigrants. The announcement came after a meeting with BSF officers at Nabanna, the state secretariat.
Eligibility for Citizenship
As per the central government notification issued in September last year, Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis, and Christians who entered India by December 31, 2024, to flee religious persecution in Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Afghanistan can apply for citizenship under the CAA. Members of these six communities can legally stay in India even without valid passports.
Fresh Guidelines for Deportation
The Ministry of Home Affairs had issued fresh guidelines in May 2025 regarding the identification and deportation of illegal immigrants from Bangladesh. It also set up two empowered committees to process applications for citizenship. Adhikari stated that the central government sent a notification to the state government on May 14, 2025, asking them to hand over illegal immigrants to the BSF. He criticized the previous government for opposing the grant of citizenship under the Act and failing to enforce the order.
Author's Note
Rohit Khanna covers sectors such as government finance, economy, industry, and issues related to financial crime.
