West Bengal CAA | Bengal Border Districts Witness Long Queues At CAA Centres

The politics around citizenship and illegal immigration is intensifying in West Bengal, especially across districts bordering Bangladesh. Long queues are now being witnessed outside Citizenship Amendment Act verification centres, where families who crossed over from Bangladesh decades ago are seeking formal recognition of their Indian citizenship. The renewed rush comes amid sharper political messaging around illegal immigration, with BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari backing a “detect, delete, deport” policy. Many applicants say old ration cards, voter IDs and Aadhaar cards no longer feel sufficient as scrutiny increases. From Habra to Barasat, elderly residents, many from the Matua community, are lining up with hopes of securing identity, stability and belonging, even as officials struggle to manage the surge in applications and verification hearings.