Archive · 16 Nov 2025
Congress Leader Adhir Chowdhury Urges Ordinance for Matua Citizenship
Imagine some people moved to India a long time ago from another country because they had problems there.
Now, India is checking everyone's papers to make sure they are citizens.
But these people don't have all the old papers the government is asking for, and they are worried they might lose their right to be called citizens or to vote in elections.
A politician wrote a letter to a big government leader, asking for a special rule to be made quickly.
This rule would help these people by not making them show such old and hard-to-find papers.
He wants to make sure they can keep their citizenship and continue to vote, as they have been doing for years.
Some of these people are even protesting by not eating food until their worries are heard and fixed.
Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury has written to Union Home Minister Amit Shah requesting an ordinance for the Matua community's citizenship rights.
The Matua community, refugees from Bangladesh, are facing challenges with strict documentary requirements in the Election Commission of India's ongoing revision exercise.
A section of the Matuas are on a hunger strike in North 24-Parganas district, demanding exemption from these documentary requirements.
Chowdhury highlighted the community's fear of losing citizenship and voting rights due to the inability to produce old documents.
He urged for a humanitarian consideration, similar to CAA cut-off date extensions, and called for an ordinance before the Parliament's Winter Session.
- Who
- Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, and members of the Matua community
- What
- Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury urged Amit Shah to issue an ordinance to protect the citizenship rights of the Matua community by exempting them from strict documentary requirements for the Election Commission of India's ongoing revision exercise.
- When
- Saturday (letter forwarded), Thursday (Chowdhury visited protest site), Forthcoming Winter Session (proposed ordinance)
- Where
- West Bengal, specifically North 24-Parganas and Nadia districts (Matua settlement areas) and Thakurnagar (hunger strike site)
- Why
- The Matua community, who migrated from Bangladesh as refugees, fear losing their citizenship and voting rights due to their inability to provide old and strict documentary evidence required for the ongoing revision of electoral rolls.
Matua Community & Supporters
Government's Strict Documentary Requirements
Citizenship and Documentation
Matua Community & Supporters
The Matua community, refugees from Bangladesh, face anxiety about their citizenship and are unable to provide old documents, fearing loss of voting rights. They seek an ordinance for exemption from strict documentary requirements in the ongoing revision exercise.
Government's Strict Documentary Requirements
The Election Commission of India's special intensive revision requires strict documentation, which poses a challenge for refugees who may not have such records. The government's stance on documentary evidence is central to the revision process.
Humanitarian Consideration
Matua Community & Supporters
Given that the government extended the CAA cut-off date for persecuted individuals, similar humanitarian consideration should be given to the long-settled Matua community, who migrated after facing hardship.
Government's Strict Documentary Requirements
The existing laws and processes for citizenship revision, while potentially strict, are in place. The government's decision to extend the CAA cut-off date is a separate measure for specific categories of religious persecution victims.
- Urgent Request
- Ordinance to protect citizenship rights of Matuas
- Proponent
- Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, Former Lok Sabha MP and Congress leader
- Recipient
- Amit Shah, Union Minister of Home Affairs
- Community Concerned
- Matua community, refugees from Bangladesh
- Location of Protest
- Thakunagar, Bangaon sub-division, North 24-Parganas district, West Bengal
- Key Demand
- Exemption from strict documentary requirements in ECI's Special Intensive Revision (SIR)
- Proposed Action
- Ordinance before Winter Session of Parliament