Chief minister Suvendu Adhikari on Saturday set a “before January 10” deadline for officials of South 24-Parganas to issue CAA certificates to refugees who allegedly fled religious persecution in Bangladesh.
Addressing a government benefit distribution programme in Kakdwip, an area with a significant number of Hindus from Bangladesh, Suvendu asked officials to ensure that all eligible refugees with pending CAA certificates received the documents as soon as possible so they could access government benefits and eventually become voters.
“I will visit Sagar after December 10 to check the preparations for Gangasagar Mela. I will return on January 10 to inaugurate Gangasagar Mela. Before that, the DM (of South 24-Parganas) and the SDO (of Kakdwip) must ensure that all refugees receive their CAA certificates. The home secretary will look into the matter,” the chief minister said.
“After receiving the certificates, these people will also be able to apply for inclusion in the electoral rolls in January. There will be no problem,” he added.
Regarding CAA certificates, the chief minister distinguished between infiltrators and refugees. He said that those who had sought shelter in India to save their lives and protect their religion should not be branded as infiltrators.
“Those who have come from Bangladesh to save their lives and protect their religion are not infiltrators. They are refugees. I have instructed the district magistrate of South 24-Parganas and the SDO of Kakdwip to issue CAA certificates to all of them as soon as possible,” he said.
After coming to power, Suvendu urged the Union home ministry to transfer the authority to issue CAA certificates from the state government to the district administration.
A source said the process had been completed and district magistrates were now entrusted with issuing the certificates.
The chief minister is also likely to visit Thakurnagar, home to the Matua community’s Thakurbari, early next month, where he is expected to announce several development projects and initiatives for refugees.
The Matua community and Hindu refugees have supported the BJP for years, particularly since the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, when Narendra Modi’s party won 18 seats in Bengal. Addressing refugee concerns remains a priority for the maiden BJP state government.
Suvendu also announced a slew of development initiatives for the Sundarbans. He said he wanted to develop the region as a model area and that the bridge over the Muriganga river would be inaugurated in 2029.
He said his government would connect the Sundarbans islands to improve communication and transport, and that the Kakdwip subdivision would become a district.
“The previous government had allocated ₹600 crore for the development of the Sundarbans in the 2025-26 financial year, but only ₹200 crore was spent. Of that amount, 80 per cent was misappropriated. In the first budget covering eight months, our government allocated ₹1,200 crore for the development of the Sundarbans,” Suvendu said.
He said his government had already allocated ₹100 crore for repairing embankments along rivers in the coastal district.
During his speech, which lasted more than 20 minutes, Suvendu urged people to lodge fresh complaints against alleged corruption and political violence during the Trinamool regime.
“Lodge fresh FIRs. I will ensure that all accused are brought to justice. I will not spare anyone who tortured you after the 2021 (Assembly) polls. I will not spare those who looted money meant for relief after Cyclone Amphan (in May 2020) and for the 100 days’ job scheme,” he said.
Suvendu referred to last year’s Kakdwip incident in which an idol of Goddess Kali was allegedly carried in a prison van to save it from a mob and transport it safely for immersion. He drew a parallel with the recent Delhi protest, during which former chief minister Mamata Banerjee had to board a prison van.