Concern over citizenship a talking point among the elderly

Tollyunge, Jadavpur, or Behala consists of pockets of settlers whose forefathers had come during the partition, several of whom said CAA, NRC and NPR were important

Abhash Majumder, resident of a colony in Suryanagar, who cast their votes in the Tollygunge Assembly constituency on Saturday: Sanat Kr Sinha

Subhankar Chowdhury, Debraj Mitra   |   TT  |  Calcutta   |  11.04.21: The fear of implementation of the citizenship matrix, one of the poll planks of BJP, weighed heavily on the minds of voters in different assembly constituencies spread across parts of Calcutta as they went to cast their votes on Saturday.

Be it in Suryanagar, a colony that consists of 1200-odd residents under Tollyunge assembly seat, Patuli in the southern fringes that is part of Jadavpur assembly constituency or Behala that consists of pockets of settlers whose forefathers had come during the partition, several voters said issues like CAA, NRC and NPR were important.

The fact that  the BJP on March 21 while unveiling its manifesto for the Bengal elections, promised to clear the implementation of the Citizenship Amendment Act in the first cabinet meeting of the new government, has further stoked fear among residents who had settled from places like Khulna, Barishal from the then East Pakistan.

Sankar Bhattacharya: Sanat Kr Sinha

A resident of Suryanagar, Abhash Majumder whose forefathers came from Khulna, wondered how could they prove that they were religiously persecuted to be able to come under the ambit of CAA and reclaim citizenship.

The “Statement of Objects and Reasons’’ for introducing the CAA, 2019 says that the constitutions of Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh provide for a specific state religion. As a result, many persons belonging to Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, Parsi and Christian communities have faced persecution on grounds of religion in those countries. So, under the proposed act migrants from these communities entering India from Afghanistan, Pakistan or Bangladesh without valid documents would now have the eligibility for Indian Citizenship.

“Who would testify as to whether we were persecuted or not? Our forefathers are not alive to offer their versions. What if we are asked to reclaim our citizenship through the route of CAA,” asked Abhash, who is a businessman by profession.

Abhash along with a group of residents of the colony were sharing their concerns after casting their votes. They were forming a huddle in the lane whose walls on either side were replete with posters of Trinamul candidate from Tollygunge, Aroop Biswas, that read: “Jibon thakte CAA, NRC and NPR kichutey hote debo na (As long we are alive, under no circumstance we will allow implementation of CAA ,NRC and NPR)”.

Locals said that TMC may not have been vocal about the issue, but has carried out a subdued campaign in Suryanagar that was developed in 1950.

Another resident of the colony, Sankar Bhattacharya, 71, said his forefathers came from Dhaka to Suryanagar during the partion in 1947.

He wondered how could a government that has been elected by its citizens ask them to prove whether they are citizens.

Subir Dey:  Sanat Kr Sinha

“Even if I vote against the incumbent government, I am a citizen. How can you ask for more proof? We have seen what happened in Assam? Incase of NRC, we have to come up with legacy documents? How could we do that? Incase of CAA we have to prove we had been religiously persecuted? Again how could we do that? What has happened in Assam has been a lesson for all of us,” he said.

As many as 14 lakhs Hindus lost their citizenship while NRC was carried out in Assam.

Subir Dey, 53, said some of them were born at government hospitals.

“But those from the previous generations were delivered by midwives. How can we get certificates for them? The BJP has no organisation in these colony areas. They did not dare to campaign here but we know their agenda,” said Dey even as he headed to one of the two booths to cast his vote.

After CAA was passed in December 2019, a protest was launched at the Park Circus ground and it went for months.

Kasturi Basu, a Patuli resident thatv falls under Jadavpur assembly seat, said: “The  issue of CAA, NRC and NPR has been weighing heavily on my mind over the past two years. This has caused anxiety among scores of people, who I believe will not vote for BJP.” She cast her vote in the morning.

“Issues like CAA, NRA are a ploy to deny the countrymen their citizenship. These are ploy to shift the focus from real issues and divide the country on religious lines,” said Bhasar Gupta, a professor of Jadavpur University and a resident of Jadavpur said.

“The instance of Assam has taught us how bad it could be. We can not support the proponents of such acts,” said a resident of Sarsuna that falls under Behala West Assembly constituency. He did not want to be identified.