Emphasising that the matter of citizenship lies with the Centre, Union Home Minister Amit Shah on May 14 assured the Matua community that its members would get citizenship under the Citizenship (Amendment) Act and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee can never stop CAA implementation.
“Mamata didi can never stop CAA implementation, the matter lies with the Central government,” Mr. Shah said addressing a rally at Bongaon in the State’s North 24 Parganas. Bongaon, with the majority of the Matua population, will go to polls in the fifth phase of the election on May 20. BJP has renominated Shantanu Thakur, a leader of Matuas and descendant of the founders of the Matua sect for the Bongoan Lok Sabha seat. Matua sect was started in mid 19th century and members are mainly scheduled caste who migrated from Bangladesh to bordering areas of West Bengal.
Mr. Thakur was elected from the seat in 2019 and is contesting against Biswajit Das, another Matua leader who defected from the BJP to the Trinamool Congress.
