Union Minister Shantanu Thakur, during his rally in Bengal, stated that the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) would be implemented within a week.
The focus has once again shifted to CAA ahead of the Lok Sabha election with Thakur addressing a public gathering in Kakdwip, South Parganas, West Bengal, where he asserted, “I give you a guarantee that CAA will be implemented not just in Bihar and Bengal but across India.”
Why is Bengal sensitive towards CAA?
Historically, West Bengal has seen a lot of people moving in from neighboring countries like Bangladesh and Nepal due to its long borders. Besides the major migrations in 1947 and 1971, there has been a constant flow of people. 
Every year, border guards stop thousands of individuals trying to enter the country, and the government is concerned about rehabilitating refugees. In the past, the government even had a special department for refugee rehabilitation. The current government regularized 92 refugee colonies in November 2019.
The Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) has caused disagreement among refugees based on religion in Bengal. This is causing worry not only among those who have been living in the state for a long time but also among the Muslim population, which makes up 27 percent of the total population (according to the 2011 Census). 
There’s a fear that the National Register of Citizens (NRC), which is expected to follow the CAA, might make millions of Muslims stateless. The public outcry against the passing of the CAA in both Houses of Parliament has been stronger than the somewhat subdued celebrations among certain “Hindu refugee” communities.
Is CAA the only remedy for politician to win in Bengal?
West Bengal Chief Minster Mamta Banerjee attacked BJP she said, “BJP has again started crying CAA-CAA for the sake of votes as Lok Sabha are approaching”. Earlier Bengal Mamta Banerjee declared that she would do anything to stop implementing CAA in Bengal, she made this remark while addressing to Amit Shah, who in his rally, assured his audience that CAA will be implemented in Bengal, and nobody can stop it.
The Union Minister Shantanu Thakur, while on stage, expressed his strong belief and seemingly guaranteed the people that the implementation of CAA would occur within 7 days. 
Every leader in Bengal attempts to target their voters by focusing on CA A. It seems that, to win in Bengal, CAA is the most effective way to connect with people, as it holds strong sentiments among the population—either garnering strong opposition or support.
The construction of the Ram Mandir alone appears insufficient to secure victory in Bengal. Consequently, political parties have shifted their agendas. The next few days in Bengal are expected to be filled with chaos, as Mr. Shantanu has sparked a debate with his statement. It is evident that the topic for the 2024 election will revolve around CAA.
The Controversy surrounding CAA
The Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) was passed by the Indian Parliament in December 2019 under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. According to the CAA, Indian nationality will be granted to religious minorities (non-Muslims) coming from Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Afghanistan, provided they arrived in India before December 2019. 
Since its approval, this Bill has sparked significant controversy, leading to major protests erupting in several parts of the country. More than a hundred people lost their lives during the protests. Sit-ins at Delhi’s Shaheen Bagh persisted for months, and in Assam, violent protests occurred against this Bill.
People who oppose this bill argue that it goes against the secular foundation of the country because the law is based on religion. They insist that this bill should include Rohingya Muslims from Myanmar and Tibetan Buddhists.
The government’s stance on this matter is that Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan are Muslim-majority countries. Therefore, Muslims do not need to be included in this bill, as it is intended to provide protection to religious minorities who have faced significant challenges due to their religion, especially in countries formed on the basis of religion.
Apart from infrequent remarks, not much was seen or heard regarding the CAA until last month when Amit Shah made a remark about the CAA during his rally in Bengal, stating that “no one can stop it from implementation.” Once again, the CAA has become the central topic for politicians.
