Bengal Cong leader Adhir Chowdhury writes to Amit Shah to ease SIR norms for Matuas

Kolkata, Nov 15 (PTI) Senior Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury on Saturday wrote to Union Home Minister Amit Shah requesting that members of the Matua community in West Bengal be exempted from producing documentary proof under the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.

In his two-page letter, Chowdhury said the Matuas, who migrated from erstwhile East Pakistan "due to ruthless and relentless persecution", were being asked to meet an "impossible task" of furnishing records they never possessed.

"Compelling these people to produce documents dating back nearly 25 years to enable them to continue to exercise their franchise is cruel and uncalled for," Chowdhury wrote to Shah.

He stated that many Matua names were missing from the 2002 voters' list, the SIR base year.

"Despite exercising all the rights of bona fide citizens, today the community is faced with the fear and threat of being disenfranchised on account of the rigours of SIR," he said.

Referring to the recent hunger strike by the All India Matua Mahasangha, Chowdhury said members had undertaken a fast-unto-death "to highlight their plight" and the "uncertain future" created by the verification exercise. He said the strike ended "in the hope of being heard".

The former West Bengal Pradesh Congress Committee president claimed that although the community has voted for decades and produced elected representatives, assurances on granting citizenship "have not fructified".

He said the Matuas, having fled "ruthless and relentless persecution", should not be treated as "illegals".

Chowdhury said the Matuas, who have voted for decades and served as elected representatives, had repeatedly been promised citizenship. "For some reason, this has not fructified," he wrote, adding that the community had been "used as a political pawn by mainstream parties".

Pointing to amendments made during implementation of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, including the extension of the cut-off date for victims of religious persecution, he urged similar relief for the Matuas and suggested issuing an ordinance before the Winter Session.

He requested Shah that a "sympathetic attitude" from the ministry, saying the Matuas constitute "the largest section of the Scheduled Caste population in West Bengal" and must be allowed to continue exercising their rights "without any threat, fear or hardship." PTI SCH MNB