In Thakurnagar, in West Bengal’s North 24 Parganas district, a makeshift camp run by the All India Matua Mahasangha is issuing pink “Hindu identity cards” to members of the Matua community for a nominal fee of around ₹50-₹100. The camp is seen by locals as a safeguard against exclusion from citizenship or voter lists under the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019 (CAA) and the ongoing roll-revision programme called the Special Intensive Revision (SIR).
Volunteers ask applicants to submit Aadhaar, voter ID or refugee documents, along with two photographs. Once logged on computers, the candidate receives a “Matua card” declaring their Hindu identity and membership of the Mahasangha – though organizers and officials acknowledge that the card does not confer citizenship or legal voting rights under current law.
The camp is led by Shantanu Thakur, Union Minister of State for Ports, Shipping and Waterways and a leader of the Matua community, who says the drive is meant to “shield” community members: “We give them a Matua card as an identity document. The Hindu card certifies their religion.” The timing of the camp is politically sensitive. It coincides with the SIR exercise in Bengal and fears among Matuas of “voter deletion” if missing documents emerge. Community leaders say thousands of people queued in sweat-soaked tents under loudspeakers promising quick processing.
Critics say the camp risks conflating religion and citizenship and could polarize electoral politics in the region. The Trinamool Congress has warned the initiative may be a political tool ahead of the 2026 state assembly elections. Meanwhile, many Matuas say the card gives them peace of mind amid uncertainty over legal status and voter registration.
