Kolkata, Sep 5 (PTI) - The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has expressed satisfaction with the Union government's recent directive granting residential status to non-Muslims with invalid travel documents from neighboring countries, asserting that its timing is impeccable. In contrast, the opposition views this move as a calculated strategy aimed at securing electoral gains in forthcoming state elections in eastern India.
Interpretations of the directive across the political spectrum range from being seen as the "initial step towards granting citizenship to persecuted Hindus who have recently migrated from Bangladesh" to being criticized as "a recipe for civil unrest among communities."
The exemption order specifies that individuals from minority communities in Afghanistan, Bangladesh, and Pakistan—namely Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis, and Christians—who have sought refuge in India citing religious persecution on or before December 31, 2024, without valid travel documents, will not face prosecution under the Immigration and Foreigners Act, 2025.
Implemented from September 1, the law mandates the establishment of a Bureau of Immigration and grants police officials, ranked head constable or above, the authority to arrest individuals without a warrant if suspected of violating immigration laws in India.
This order deviates from the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019, which had December 31, 2014, as the cut-off date for non-Muslim immigrants to be considered eligible for Indian citizenship. The new directive extends this date by a decade for non-prosecution.
Mohit Roy, a former convenor of the state BJP's refugee cell, observed, "Despite the CAA’s 2014 deadline, many refugees from Bangladesh continue to migrate to West Bengal due to the sharp changes in Bangladesh's political climate, heavily influenced by Islamic fundamentalists in recent years."
Roy emphasized the necessity of establishing a legal framework under which these individuals are not labeled as illegal immigrants, thereby protecting them from police harassment and facilitating access to basic amenities like bank accounts.
He further stated that the BJP had long demanded an extension of the entry deadline, given the worsening conditions for minorities in Bangladesh.
Roy said, "Now that these refugees have shed the stigma of illegal residency and fear of persecution, it's a matter of time before they can apply for citizenship under the CAA."
A BJP insider, speaking anonymously, suggested that the party will gain political mileage from this move in the upcoming elections, especially in Assam and West Bengal.
"The timing couldn't be more perfect," he added.
However, left-leaning economist and political analyst Prasenjit Bose expressed dissent.
He argued, "The new law and its exemption clause provide police with official sanction to target Bengali-speaking Muslim migrants in West Bengal with more vigor than before."
"Since Muslim immigrants from Bangladesh do not flee due to religious persecution, they will now officially be branded as Bangladeshis and expelled. Given the presence of around 3 crore Muslims in Bengal and approximately 1.5 crore Hindus in Bangladesh, such migration patterns could fuel civil unrest," warned Bose.
Bose criticized the move as contrary to the BJP's political messaging in bordering states like Bengal.
"Prime Minister Modi raises concerns about demographic changes in border districts, implying a rise in illegal Muslim infiltrators. But where is the data supporting this claim since the last census? Moreover, if he's worried about infiltration, why encourage Hindu migration from Bangladesh?" he queried.
In response, Roy disputed the assertion, claiming, "The religious demographic balance between West Bengal and Bangladesh is skewed, leaving Hindus here vulnerable."
He cited 2011 census data showing a rise in Bengal's Muslim population from 20 to 27 percent over 40 years, despite the influx of approximately 70 lakh Hindu refugees to India during that time, attributing the increase primarily to illegal Muslim immigration.
Bose claimed that these new laws reflect the BJP's broader strategy to realize the "partition logic to its logical conclusion."
CPI(M) politburo member Md Salim described the move as a "knee-jerk reaction" motivated by the BJP's "anxiety about losing support" among Bengal’s Namashudra Hindus.
"It's akin to enticing Namashudra Hindu voters with empty promises. Disappointment with the BJP over the CAA remains, with few in eastern India applying for citizenship," he argued.
Salim recalled that earlier, Prime Minister Modi labeled infiltrators as "termites" depleting national resources. Yet, he now warmly welcomes them, provided they aren't Muslims. He accused Modi of attempting to rebuild trust by polarizing Hindu voters ahead of Bengal and Assam elections.
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee lambasted the BJP's move as a "farce" and an "election gimmick."
Nevertheless, the BJP appears poised to confront the TMC’s "diversionary stance on CAA and NRC" and capitalize on electoral benefits in the state.
(Only the headline of this report may have been reworked by Editorji; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)