West Bengal CM vows to protect refugees, expedite CAA and identify infiltrators during census

West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari on Saturday said the West Bengal government will prevent infiltrators from receiving citizen related benefits and protect the religious minorities, who fled their country (Bangladesh) due to religious persecution, and come to Bengal as refugees. The West Bengal government will expedite the CAA certificate application, hearing and disbursal process once the Union Home Ministry allows the state government to deploy the District Magistrates for the process as done in Gujarat.

“Yesterday, I called the Union Home Secretary and urged him to give the CAA application process in the hands of the West Bengal government like Gujarat. So, we can dispose of the applications through DMs quickly. I was assured that the process has started and we will get it within the next one month. Once we get it, with promptness, within six months, we will dispose of the applications of all CAA applicants,” CM said.

He made it clear that the state government will not allow any infiltrators to take the benefits of the Indian citizens and the state will not feed them free food while those persecuted from Bangladesh due to religious persecution will be protected. He also assured the refugees and Matua community that there will be no police harassment and fear while he distributed CAA certificates.


“We are in government for only 11 weeks. In these 11 weeks, we have given 5,966, and the total application number is 2,30,605. In Nadia district 10,191, then North 24 Parganas district 8,930 and other districts are there,” he added while distributing CAA certificates today.

“If anyone falls under the purview of CAA and is in jail or has gone to jail, you will give their list too. We will arrange to release them on bail using the Public Prosecutor,” he added.

Adhikari today filled Self-Enumeration with West Bengal starting the Self-Enumeration phase of Census today. He said illegal infiltrators will be identified and sent back while affirming that data collected during the census self-enumeration process will remain confidential.

He claimed that the previous Trinamool Congress government and the former Chief Minister misled the persecuted refugees over CAA and intimidated them that they would be deprived of citizen’s benefit. The chief minister also assured that personal information collected during Census would not be misused.

Last year, the nationwide census process started from June 20, 2026. The previous state government did not grant permission in Bengal, he noted.

Speaking about the Census and the names deleted during Bengal SIR, CM said, “The 60 lakhs identified as Absent, Shifted, Dead and Duplicate (ASDD) during SIR and they did not apply in the Tribunal. Secondly, whose name under adjudication was 27 lakh. Following Supreme Court directions, a tribunal was set up and at present 7 lakh appealed in the Tribunal while 20 lakh did not respond. They themselves haven't claimed as voters,” CM said

“Whether they claim as citizens, it will be known during self-enumeration or house-to-house enumeration of Census. Census is a constitutional duty. Who will visit your household, they will also fulfil that duty,” he said.