Responding to assertions that Matuas possess voter cards, Aadhaar cards and ration cards, Baidya explained that these documents do not suffice as proof of citizenship.”Most of them don’t have valid documentation, and these documents won’t mean anything if there is any scrutiny about their citizenship as they don’t have proper citizenship certificates,” he stated.Several Matua leaders, who did not wish to be named, claimed that voter and Aadhar cards are very easily available illegally.Reflecting on the challenges faced by Matuas, BJP MLA and Matua leader Asim Sarkar underscored that possessing voter and Aadhaar cards does not guarantee citizenship.He highlighted cases where Matuas or other Hindu refugees were booked under the Foreigners Act due to the discovery of fake documents.”A voter card is never proof of citizenship. It is a sort of a legal pass to cast your vote,” he said.Describing the CAA as their “second independence day,” Matua leaders expressed optimism regarding its potential to address longstanding concerns.The community, with an estimated population of three million in the state, can tilt the scales in favour of a political party in more than 30 assembly seats in Nadia, and North and South 24 Parganas districts bordering Bangladesh.
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