Second Empowered Committee Established in Bengal to Expedite CAA Processing
The Union Home Ministry has taken a significant step by constituting a second empowered committee for West Bengal, aimed at fast-tracking the processing of citizenship requests under the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019. This development comes at a crucial time when approximately 5.5 lakh individuals from the Matua community belts in Bongaon (North 24 Parganas), Nadia, and East Burdwan districts have been summoned for SIR hearings to address unmapped and logical discrepancies in their applications.
Large-Scale Verification and Pending Applications
Sources indicate that around three lakh of these individuals have already been listed by the Election Commission for re-verification, highlighting the scale of the administrative challenge. Reports estimate that the number of pending CAA applications in Bengal stands at approximately 50,000, underscoring the urgency for streamlined processing mechanisms.
Political Reactions and Community Concerns
The Trinamool Congress has swiftly questioned the timing and efficacy of this move. Sukesh Chowdhury, secretary of the Mamata Bala Thakur-led All India Matua Mahasangha (AIMM), expressed skepticism, stating, "Whatever the BJP government may do in the name of empowered committees to fast-track proceedings, unless unconditional citizenship is granted, it will never be possible for Matua community members who have applied under CAA to obtain citizenship."
Chowdhury further referenced the Assam National Register of Citizens (NRC) process, where citizenship was granted through a simpler procedure by accepting any valid Indian document. He argued, "The central government should follow the same procedure if it truly intends to grant Indian citizenship to the Matua community. Regardless of what committee is formed or what process is adopted, it is impossible for those who came from Bangladesh 30–40 years ago with nothing to produce documents demanded by the government or the Election Commission."
BJP's Assurance and Call to Action
In response, the BJP has maintained a supportive stance, emphasizing that Matua community members can still exercise their voting rights. Ashok Kirtania, BJP's Bongaon North MLA, asserted, "The Narendra Modi-led central government is the only one that has taken genuine steps to grant citizenship to refugees and members of the Matua community. That is why this new empowered committee to fast-track proceedings has been introduced. All refugees or members of the Matua community who apply under CAA will receive Indian citizenship and their names will also be included on the voters' list."
Kirtania also issued a direct appeal, urging, "I urge those members of the Matua community who were misled by Trinamool and discouraged from applying under CAA — there is still time. Apply under CAA immediately. You will certainly receive Indian citizenship along with the right to vote."
Continuation of Original Committee and Rationale
The original empowered committee, established in accordance with a notification issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs in March 2024 and headed by the Director of Census Operations of West Bengal, will continue to function. Central government sources have clarified that the new empowered committee has been created due to the increased volume of CAA applications in the state. The sharing of the workload between the two committees is expected to significantly reduce processing times, addressing the backlog more efficiently.
This move reflects the ongoing efforts to manage the complex citizenship application process in West Bengal, balancing administrative efficiency with the socio-political aspirations of the Matua community and other applicants under the CAA framework.
