Centre's new order divisive, says Chief minister Mamata Banerjee

Kolkata: Chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday said the BJP is resorting to "double standards ahead of 2026 polls" by bringing out the ' Immigration and Foreigners Exemption order 2025' without a discussion on the subject in Parliament.

Calling it a "communal and divisive move" which does not include Muslims in the exemption, Banerjee said in the state assembly that, "There was no discussion in Parliament on this. No select, standing or parliamentary committees' opinion was taken. Those who have come to India till December 31, 2024, will you even put their names in the voter list? What a shame! Will you now depend on their votes? No one will vote for you."

Under he 'Immigration and Foreigners Exemption order 2025' exemption will be provided to "a person belonging to a minority community in Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan, namely, Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis and Christians, who were compelled to seek shelter in India due to religious persecution or fear of religious persecution and entered into India on or before December, 31, 2024-(i) without valid documents; or (ii) with expired valid documents."

"Nowhere is it mentioned about citizenship. Will you give voting rights and ration cards to those who came till 2024? Nothing is mentioned clearly. This is deception. They said they will give citizenship but did not give it in 2019 or 2024," Banerjee pointed out.

She claimed that "a meeting was held in Bongaon (Matua Mahasangh chief and union minister Shantanu Thakur stays in Bongaon's Matua Thakurbari) and this has been done now."

The order will offer a major relief to Matuas and refugees, particularly Hindus who migrated to India after 2014 and had been uncertain about their future as CAA had restricted eligibility for citizenship only to those who arrived in India on or before December 31, 2014.