Wife among 8 to get West Bengal CAA call, wait continues for husband
Times of India | 31 May 2024
KOLKATA/BARASAT/KALYANI: Santilata Biswas is now a proud citizen of India. Though she has been living in India for 30 years now, a phone call on Wednesday afternoon informed her that she had been granted citizenship.
Santilata (47), a resident of Barokeshtanagar in Gaighata's Thakurnagar, was one of eight people in Bengal to receive Indian citizenship under the Citizenship (Amendment) Act.Her husband, Tarak, was not as fortunate. He was informed that his application was pending as there were some queries.
Another recipient of this new Indian citizenship was Anirban Nandy, who came to India from Phultala in Khulna and now resides in Madhyamgram in North 24 Parganas. However, he could not be reached for his reaction as his home was found locked.
Santilata said: "I have all documents like Aadhaar, EPIC and ration card but this certificate of Indian citizenship is very valuable. I receive Lakshmir Bhandar from the Bengal govt. We applied in March after the notification was issued by Centre. I am thankful to our Prime Minister for my new citizenship status. I am a voter in India and had voted in the Bongaon LS elections on May 20."
The couple's 27-year-old son also has a passport. Santilata said she was a resident of Kalia in Jessore and fled to India in 1994. She felt that her secondary level certificate from Bangladesh helped her to obtain Indian citizenship.
Santilata downloaded her certificate from a cyber cafe and took a printout.
However, Tarak, who studied up to Class V level in Khulna's Mollahat, has no authentic certificate. Tarak also has all documents like EPIC, ration card and voter card but he lacks an entry document, which is why his petition is pending.
Bikash Mondal of Bhimpur in Nadia's Krishnaganj was also among the fortunate few to receive the citizenship certificate on Wednesday, along with his wife Sathi Biswas. Mondal had entered India from Jhenaidaha, Bangladesh, with his entire family in 2012. "After the notification for citizenship was issued, we applied online. The Krishnanagar post office verified my claim and I received the citizenship certificate."