Bengal CAA Citizenship: Suvendu Adhikari Sets 31 December Target

West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari said on Sunday, 1 November, that his government will fast-track Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) hearings so that 2.5 lakh applicants in the state receive citizenship by 31 December. He made the announcement at the International Matua Gosai Convention 2026 in Thakurnagar, North 24 Parganas, where he also announced a Rs 50-crore package for the Matua community, according to The Tribune.

Certificates for Scheduled Caste Applicants

Adhikari said eligible Scheduled Caste members who receive citizenship under the CAA will be given Scheduled Caste certificates. He also said Thakurnagar will be developed and welfare schemes for the Matua community expanded. The Tribune did not report how the Rs 50 crore will be split between projects.

“We will expedite the hearing and provide citizenship to 2.5 lakh petitioners by December 31,” Adhikari said, as quoted by the paper.

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About 25,000 Cleared So Far

According to The Tribune, about 25,000 people in West Bengal have received citizenship under the CAA so far. Reaching 2.5 lakh by 31 December would mean processing roughly ten times that number in about two months.

The Matua community, which has roots in refugee families who came from what is now Bangladesh, has long been a focus of the CAA debate in Bengal. Adhikari said the government “could be formed because of support from the Matua community.” He also said “Only Mamata Banerjee opposed it,” a reference to the former chief minister and the earlier Trinamool Congress government. These are the chief minister’s statements; the Trinamool has not been quoted in the report.

What to Watch Before 31 December

The 31 December deadline is the chief minister’s own target. The Tribune report does not say how many hearing officers will be added, how many applications are pending, or whether the Union Home Ministry has agreed to the timeline. Those details are still unknown.

Earlier IPB coverage of political developments in the state is in the Daily Updates section.

Source: Based on reporting by The Tribune. No official transcript or government release was found; a search of the West Bengal government and Chief Minister’s office pages returned nothing for this event.

Image: Wikimedia Commons (file photo).