Ahead of the crucial Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and upcoming elections in West Bengal, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has announced plans to set up over 1,000 camps dedicated to helping eligible Hindu refugees from Bangladesh apply for citizenship under the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA).
This initiative is seen as a concerted effort to consolidate support among refugee communities, particularly in districts bordering Bangladesh, and to sharpen the party’s electoral strategy in a state where the CAA has been a deeply polarizing issue.
Background: The Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA)
The CAA, passed by the Indian Parliament in 2019, provides a fast-track to Indian citizenship for persecuted non-Muslim minorities—Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis, and Christians—from Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Bangladesh who entered India before December 31, 2014.
The law has been controversial, with supporters arguing it offers refuge to victims of religious persecution, while critics claim it discriminates on the basis of religion and undermines India’s secular constitution. In West Bengal, the issue has been especially contentious, with Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and her Trinamool Congress (TMC) opposing the law, framing it as a threat to Bengali identity and warning against its linkage with the National Register of Citizens (NRC).
The BJP’s CAA Camp Initiative
The BJP’s decision to launch over 1,000 CAA camps across West Bengal—with a particular focus on districts bordering Bangladesh such as North 24 Parganas, Nadia, Cooch Behar, and Uttar Dinajpur—marks a significant escalation in its outreach to Hindu refugee communities.
According to state BJP president Samik Bhattacharya, these camps are intended to guide eligible applicants through the citizenship process, addressing delays caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and bureaucratic hurdles. Party insiders emphasize that the camps will be concentrated in areas where the “demography has already changed,” a reference to the significant presence of Hindu refugees and their descendants in these border regions.
The camps are not just a bureaucratic exercise; they are a political tool. The BJP hopes to mobilize support among the Matua community and other refugee groups, who form a substantial vote bank in these constituencies. By facilitating citizenship applications, the party aims to solidify its base among these communities ahead of the 2026 assembly elections and the SIR exercise, which could influence the composition of the electoral rolls.
Political Context and Electoral Calculus
West Bengal has emerged as a key battleground for the BJP, which has made significant inroads in recent elections but remains the principal opposition to the ruling TMC. The CAA has been a central plank of the BJP’s campaign in the state, with the party framing it as a fulfillment of its promise to protect persecuted minorities. In contrast, the TMC has positioned itself as the defender of Bengali identity and secularism, warning that the CAA and NRC could lead to disenfranchisement and detention of genuine citizens.
The timing of the CAA camp initiative—immediately after Diwali and Kali Puja—suggests a strategic effort to capitalize on the festive season’s communal harmony and visibility 1. By rolling out these camps now, the BJP seeks to maximize outreach and ensure that as many eligible refugees as possible are registered before the electoral rolls are revised.
Regional and Social Implications
The BJP’s focus on border districts highlights the demographic shifts that have occurred over decades due to migration from Bangladesh. These areas are home to large numbers of Hindu refugees, many of whom have lived in India for generations but lack formal citizenship documents. The CAA camps are designed to address this legal limbo, offering a pathway to citizenship and, by extension, full political and social rights.
However, the initiative is not without controversy. Critics argue that the CAA is exclusionary and could further polarize an already divided society. The TMC and other opposition parties have accused the BJP of using the law to stoke communal tensions and consolidate its Hindu vote bank, especially in a state with a significant Muslim population.
Conclusion
The BJP’s plan to set up 1,000 CAA camps in West Bengal is a multifaceted strategy with clear political, social, and electoral objectives. By targeting Hindu refugees from Bangladesh, the party aims to strengthen its support base in key border districts, influence the upcoming revision of electoral rolls, and position itself as the champion of persecuted minorities ahead of the next state elections.
While the move may energize the BJP’s core supporters, it is also likely to deepen political polarization in West Bengal, ensuring that the CAA remains a central issue in the state’s political discourse for the foreseeable future.
