Amit Shah assured voting rights to Matua community under CAA amid SIR

Union Home Minister Amit Shah, during his high-profile visit to Kolkata, sent a strong message of reassurance to the Matua community and other refugees in West Bengal. Amidst the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter lists, which has been shadowed by rumors of name deletions, Shah clarified that individuals who have applied for citizenship under the CAA will not lose their right to vote. He asserted that every refugee who sought shelter in India due to religious persecution is a priority for the BJP government and will be treated with full constitutional dignity.

Taking a direct dig at Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, the Home Minister claimed that the TMC’s narrative regarding the loss of voting rights is rooted in "fear of losing their vote bank." Shah stated that "not even Mamata Banerjee" can harm the status of refugees, promising that the BJP would stand as a shield for the community. This comes after the TMC leadership repeatedly alleged that the SIR process was a hidden tool to disenfranchise the backward Matua community, which has a significant presence in Nadia and North 24 Parganas.

Beyond citizenship, Shah launched a scathing attack on the state government for blocking central welfare schemes like Ayushman Bharat and PM Kisan Yojana. He argued that the Chief Minister is depriving the poor of healthcare and financial aid solely because she fears the growing popularity of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He labeled the obstruction of infrastructure projects in West Bengal as a unique hurdle that does not exist in other parts of the country, blaming the TMC's "appeasement politics" for the state's stagnation.

The Home Minister also dismissed the state government's recent initiatives to fund temple construction from the exchequer as a desperate attempt at "applying ointment to self-inflicted wounds." He claimed that the public sees through these eleventh-hour efforts to undo years of specific communal leaning. As the 2026 Assembly elections draw nearer, Shah’s visit has successfully set the tone for the BJP’s campaign, focusing on the twin pillars of refugee protection and a relentless drive against illegal infiltration.