‘We feel safe in India': Amid controversy, Bangladeshi Matuas held in Pune apply for citizenship under CAA

Indian Express

2 days ago

Amid allegations of migrants from West Bengal (WB) being harassed in BJP ruled states, a Matua family from Bangladesh has applied for Indian citizenship under the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), after they were taken in by Pimpri Chinchwad police earlier this month for inquiry in Pune district.
'We are afraid of going to Bangladesh due to the violence against Hindus. Situation is not good there. We are safe in India. Even Shaikh Hasina, the former Prime Minister of Bangladesh, had to flee and take shelter in India,' said Kishor Biswas, a member of the family who has applied for citizenship.
In the first week of July, 40-year-old Kishor, his wife Bonita, brother-in-law Arush alias Bonomali Adhikary and Arush's wife Priyanka were held for inquiry in Wakad by the Pimpri Chinchwad police on the suspicion they were Bangladeshi nationals. The family belongs to the Matua community, a Hindu religious sect, primarily composed of Namasudras, a Scheduled Caste (SC) in Bangladesh.
Police said they found nothing incriminating against Kishor, who claims to be a West Bengal resident, but a restriction order was issued against his wife and others, as documents of Bangladeshi identity were allegedly recovered from their possession.
Referring to the action against the Matua family, the TMC's Rajya Sabha MP Samirul Islam, called the BJP led Maharashtra government 'anti–Bengali'. Islam is also the chairman of the West Bengal Migrant Workers' Welfare Board.
On July 15, Islam posted on his X account, 'Now, members of our beloved Matua community have been facing harassment by the anti-Bengali BJP government in Maharashtra….Recently, our office at the West Bengal Migrant Workers' Welfare Board received information about police harassment of at least six members of the Matua community from North 24 Parganas, currently residing in Pune, Maharashtra…'
'We have already reached out to the affected family, who confirmed that the police in BJP-ruled Maharashtra have detained Arush Adhikary and at least five others including minors, on suspicion of being Bangladeshi nationals,' he posted.
Refuting the allegations, a senior police officer said they found Bangladeshi national identity cards of Arush and his wife Priyanka, along with a Bangladeshi birth certificate of his sister Bonita, who is married to Kishor Biswas. Police also found their Indian documents like Aadhaar cards, suspected to have been procured through 'agents'.
A police officer said action was initiated against the Bangladeshi citizens as per the Ministry of Home Affairs' (MHA) directives issued in May this year. FRO of Pimpri Chinchwad police issued a restriction order for Arush, Priyanka and Bonita.
But the police did not deport the Matua family, like other illegal Bangladeshi migrants, because Kishor submitted an application under the CAA, as per which Hindus or persecuted minorities from Bangladesh, who entered India on or before December 31, 2014, can seek Indian citizenship.
Kishor said the Matua community in West Bengal contacted lawyers in Pune, who helped him file the CAA form online. He then submitted a letter, attached with his CAA form, to DCP Shivaji Pawar on July 15, requesting the police to halt the deportation of his wife and two children Bebika (9) and Kiyan (4), both born in Pune.
Police said Kishor did not have any Bangladeshi ID. But in his CAA form, he mentioned Bangladesh as his birth place. Police are now waiting for the government's instructions over his CAA application.
Lawyers Sanket Rao and Khetaram Solankii, who assisted Kishor, said the Central Government should consider the CAA application of the Matuas and ensure they are not deported to Bangladesh. 'We also want to help Aarush's family in filing CAA form,' said Rao.
Police said Aarush was operating a 'clinic', providing treatment for ailments like piles through 'ayurvedic' medicines. While he was initially restricted at Wakad police station, his wife and seven-month-old baby, sister and her children were allowed to stay at Kishor's house in Rahatani.
When the Indian Express visited the house, the Matuas said they were cooperating with the police and there was no harassment by cops. Kishor said, 'I do not remember exactly, but I migrated to West Bengal from Bangladesh when I was around six years old, after my parents passed away. I grew up in West Bengal with my relatives. I have an Indian Adhaar card and other documents.'
Kishor said he got married to Bonita of Khulna in Bangladesh and brought her to India using valid passports. 'We later shifted to Pune. My children go to school. My wife does tailoring work. I helped Arush in medicinal work,' he said.
Arush's wife Priyanka claimed she migrated to India after marriage, but her husband has been in India for a long time and that his father even owns a property in West Bengal. She said Arush was doing a course at Bharati Vidyapeeth in Pune. Arush's brother is a resident of Karnataka, police said.
Arush and Kishor have identity cards issued to them by the 'All India Matua Mahasangha', bearing signatures of Santanu Thakur, a BJP leader and Union Minister of State for Shipping. Thakur is a prominent Matua leader from West Bengal. He was not available for comment.
A huge number of Matuas migrated to India during partition, later during the creation of Bangladesh. Many Matuas are known to have families and properties in Bangladesh, as well as in West Bengal and so they are often found migrating to both places.
Getting Indian citizenship is one of the long-standing demands of the Matua community. Being influential in multiple districts in West Bengal, be it the BJP or the TMC, the key political parties in the state have been wooing the Matua community.
The Matua community is believed to have helped the BJP win most of the SC constituencies in Bengal in 2019, after the party had promised to implement CAA.
The Matuas are a composite caste whose social evolution is linked to the movement started by Sri Harichand Thakur. The movement originated in erstwhile Bangladesh and revolves around Harichand Thakur and his teaching. At present both West Bengal and Bangladesh have Matua populations.
Chandan Haygunde is an assistant editor with The Indian Express with 15 + years of experience in covering issues related to Crime, Courts, National Security and Human Rights. He has been associated with The Indian Express since 2007.
Chandan has done investigative reporting on incidents of terrorism, left wing extremism, espionage cases, wildlife crimes, narcotics racket, cyber crimes and sensational murder cases in Pune and other parts of Maharashtra.
While working on the 'Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) Fellowship on Tigers, Tiger Habitats and Conservation' in 2012, he reported extensively on the illegal activities in the Sahyadri Tiger Reserve in Maharashtra. He has done in-depth reporting on the cases related to the Koregaon Bhima violence in Pune and hearings of the 'Koregaon Bhima Commission of Inquiry'. ... Read More