West Bengal CM Suvendu Adhikari has promised the release of Matua refugees allegedly jailed during the previous Trinamool Congress government, along with land, housing and citizenship under the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), ahead of the December 31 deadline.
West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari has promised to secure the release of Matua refugees allegedly imprisoned during the previous Trinamool Congress (TMC) government and provide them with land and housing in the state. He also assured eligible members of the community that they would receive Indian citizenship under the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), followed by inclusion in the electoral rolls in accordance with applicable procedures.
Adhikari made these announcements while addressing the second International Matua Gosai Conference at Thakurbari, the ancestral home of the Matua leadership in Thakurnagar, in North 24 Parganas district on Sunday.
Addressing the gathering, the Chief Minister said that Matua refugees who had migrated from neighbouring Bangladesh after facing religious persecution should receive protection, dignity and access to government assistance. He alleged that during the previous Mamata Banerjee-led TMC administration, several Hindu refugees, including members of the Matua community, had been selectively arrested.
Referring to developments following the change of regime in Bangladesh, Adhikari claimed that members of the Hindu community who remained there had faced atrocities, forcing many to seek safety in India.
He also referred to a statement made by Union Home Minister Amit Shah on September 1, 2025, concerning people who had entered India from Bangladesh to escape religious persecution by December 31, 2024. According to Adhikari, the assurance was that such people would not face harassment from the police.
The Chief Minister specifically announced that Matua refugees who were still lodged in correctional homes without trial in areas such as Bangaon and Barasat in North 24 Parganas district and Ranaghat in Nadia district would be considered for release. He promised that those released would be treated with dignity and provided with land and houses.
Adhikari also announced a December 31 deadline for processing eligible Matua community members’ citizenship applications under the CAA. He assured the gathering that citizenship certificates would be provided to eligible applicants following the required procedures.
The citizenship issue has remained an important concern among sections of the Matua community, many of whose members trace their origins to present-day Bangladesh. The community has historically migrated to West Bengal in different phases since Independence.
During his address, Adhikari also criticised opposition parties over their positions on the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and demands for the removal of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. He warned against activities that, according to him, could destabilise the country and the state.
“The Hindus will not become refugees again in their own land,” Adhikari said, while stressing that his government would take action against those attempting to create instability.
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The Chief Minister also shared his family’s experience of displacement during Partition. Recalling his mother’s origins in Barisal, in present-day Bangladesh, he said she had been forced to leave her home overnight because she was Hindu.
“My mother came here as a refugee from Barisal. She was thrown out of Bangladesh just because she was a Hindu,” Adhikari said, adding that he would remain vigilant against developments that could threaten the country’s stability.
The conference brought renewed attention to the citizenship, rehabilitation and welfare concerns of the Matua community, particularly those who migrated from Bangladesh and are seeking legal recognition and permanent settlement in India.
