“It was like a black mark on our foreheads for years, but now it has been washed off. That is what citizenship means for us,” grins Majumder, a resident of the Thakurnagar area of West Bengal’s North 24 Parganas district, also known as the “headquarters” of the Matua community in the state.
Majumder, who lives with his son, daughter-in-law, and two grandchildren, adds, “It was in 1970 that I came here with my family from Gopalganj in Bangladesh’s Faridpur district. It was difficult moving from one place to another, living in houses of relatives or on rent. We have voter cards and also Aadhaar. But now I will be a citizen.”
But a little less than 40 kilometres from Thakurnagar, residents of Chaltaberia near Duttapukur, mostly Muslim, who also migrated from Bangladesh, were caught in an atmosphere of trepidation and fear. Standing outside a local mosque after evening prayers, an elderly Abdul Gani Sarkar says, “Is it a prelude to the NRC (National Register of Citizens) and setting up of Assam-like detention camps here? We have such apprehensions and rightly so. Now we have to keep our proof of residence and other papers ready.”
There are around 1.75 crore Matua community (Namashudra or Bengali scheduled caste) people in Bengal. While many started coming from Bangladesh in the 1970s, some claim to have arrived as late as 2011 -12.
Some 10 kilometres from Duttapukur, Sunil Barui (45), a rickshaw driver from Guma who too came from Faridpur in Bangladesh, says, “I don’t understand much, but I am happy that we will get citizenship. I came to India with my mother and three brothers 25 years back.”
“I need help applying for citizenship. I heard it will be done online,” added Barui standing near the Habra railway gate.
About 15 kilometres, Radheshyam Pal (65), who runs a grocery shop in Palpara apart from making items of clay, says, “In this area, 75 percent of people are from east Bengal (Bangladesh). We migrated in 1982 and bought land here. We have voter cards and Aadhaar. Do we need more proof?”
Pal lives with his wife and son.
His neighbour Raghunath Ballav (66), who came from Barisal in Bangladesh in 1987 and lives with his wife and two sons, says, “In some places, many Matua community members had their Aadhaar cards disqualified. There was a sense of panic. But this announcement has brought some relief that we will not be sent back to Bangladesh. We cannot go back.”
In Chaltaberia, a motley crowd gathered in front of the local Jama Masjid just after offering namaz on Tuesday evening with their conversations hovering around the CAA and the NRC. Muhammed Mubarak (65), a farmer, says, “The block land and revenue office (BLRO) in Barasat is 13 kilometres away. Those who don’t have proper papers or have mistakes in their documents are planning to make a beeline for that office and court. We have to be ready with papers.”
“A sense of fear that prevailed in 2019 seems to have returned. The BJP trying to scare Hindus to vote for them just before the Lok Sabha elections while the TMC wants to get all Muslim votes on its side. This will only create a further divide in the state,” Abdul Gani Sarkar (72).
Ansar Ali Mollah, a local panchayat member, says, “We have elected the Prime Minister and the Chief Minister. If we lose citizenship, then the PM and the CM should lose their posts too.”
“We suspect that the NRC will be the next step after the CAA. There is tension everywhere around. There are no adequate Muslim MPs who could highlight our plight. We are stuck between the devil and the deep blue sea,” said Mohammad Jajangir, a school teacher from Duttapukur.
Sujan Haldar (32), a local resident, says, “I came to India in February 2004 with my mother and got admitted to a school here. I completed my graduation. Will my degrees be considered valid if I become a citizen now? We bought land here. Will the property deed be legal once we become citizens? Such questions are hovering in my mind.”
Hours after the Centre notified the CAA rules on Monday, celebrations erupted in Thakurnagar and other areas in the state with Matua community members and local BJP workers singing and dancing on traditional music.
While the BJP workers participated in the celebrations, the Trinamool Congress has warned people against applying for citizenship, claiming it might render them “illegal migrants”.
The BJP leaders from the district, including Union minister Shantanu Thakur, asked the Matua community members and refugees to start filing online for citizenship.
Tanima Sen, president of the women’s wing of the BJP’s Bongaon organisational district who participated in the celebrations in Thakurnagar, said, “We will have a plan soon. Our leaders and workers will help the people from tomorrow as how to apply online for citizenship. Many people have confusion regarding this.”
“We have started holding public meetings to make people aware of the process. The TMC is trying to mislead people and scare the Matuas and other refugee families,” she added.