Citing India’s controversial Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA), West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari has said: “People of the Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, Parsi and Christian communities who enter India from neighbouring countries are not infiltrators. They are refugees.” Under the act, Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis and Christians coming from neighbouring countries are treated as refugees, but Muslims are left out.
The controversial CAA provides for fast-track citizenship for six religious-minority communities, including Hindus, coming from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan, but does not include Muslims. According to critics and rights groups, the law runs counter to the principle of “equality before the law” in Article 14 of India’s constitution and to secularism.
Adhikari made the remarks on Saturday at the launch of the 16th digital census in West Bengal.
Making clear the distinction between infiltrators and refugees, he recalled the provisions of the CAA. Those of the Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, Parsi and Christian communities who have come from Bangladesh are not infiltrators but refugees within the proper legal framework, he said.
He added: “Under the Indian government’s notification of 1 September 2025, the rules are clear. No case can be brought against refugees who came to this country before 31 December 2014 out of religious necessity or to save their lives, and police cannot harass them either.” He then said: “Illegal infiltrators will not remain in this state or country. Through a specific legal process they are being identified and carefully sent back, and will continue to be. It is not India’s responsibility to look after infiltrators.”
Referring to a past mistake, Adhikari said: “During the previous government, an error occurred in Birbhum where an Indian citizen faced trouble, though he was later returned. Our government will ensure that not a single genuine Indian citizen faces the slightest trouble in this process.”
বাংলায় মূল প্রতিবেদন পড়ুন · Read the original Bengali report