Shah sets 6-month CAA citizenship deadline for B’deshi refugees
Times of India | 22 August 2026
Siliguri: Union home minister Amit Shah on Friday said those who had come to India from Bangladesh due to religious persecution and had applied under the CAA, will get citizenship within six months.
“The Hindu, Sikh and Jain refugees who have come from Bangladesh will get citizenship in the next six months. That is my promise. The Union home ministry is in touch with the state administration and they have been empowered,” Shah said while addressing a meeting at Kawakhali in Siliguri.
Shah said the ministry of home affairs had authorised eight district collectors in Bengal to grant citizenship to eligible applicants under the CAA. “All the refugees will definitely be granted Indian citizenship with dignity,” he said.
On Wednesday, MHA had empowered district collectors in eight border states and UTs to process pending applications under the CAA. Previously, applications were processed by empowered committees comprising central govt officials, including those from the Census, Intelligence Bureau and postal departments.
Taking a dig at TMC and former CM Mamata Banerjee over her opposition to the CAA, Shah recalled that Banerjee had “mocked him” when the law was introduced. “When we introduced the CAA, Mamata Banerjee used to mock me. She used to say that we cannot implement the act as her govt will not allow us to do that. Mamatadidi, you did not agree to implement the act, but both you and your govt had to go. We have the BJP govt here now,” Shah said.
He added the state govt will identify and expel every infiltrator from the state.