India’s Matua community holds training camp on CAA, SIR
The Statesman | 10 August 2025
The All India Matua Mahasangha, led by Union minister and BJP MP Shantanu Thakur, on Saturday organised a training camp in Thakurnagar, North 24-Parganas, today to educate members on applying for citizenship under the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and navigating the state’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
The move comes amid an escalating war of words between West Bengal’s ruling party and the Opposition over the CAA and SIR, which has sown confusion among the public. Community leaders say the SIR process has already sparked fear among many. Earlier this week, ahead of the 4 August launch of the SIR in the state, Mr Thakur met Union home minister Amit Shah in New Delhi, accompanied by a delegation from the Mahasangha. According to sources in the Thakurbari (Matua headquarters), the meeting covered citizenship, the SIR process, and nationwide crackdowns on illegal immigrants. The delegation also submitted a set of written appeals to Shah, but most were not disclosed publicly. Friday’s camp was attended by members from various districts and blocks, who were trained on how to fill out CAA forms, what documents to submit as proof, and why they should apply.
Training on the SIR process was also provided. “Those trained here will organise CAA camps in their respective areas,” Thakur told reporters. “We want to ensure that Matuas do not feel fear or confusion over the CAA or SIR. I believe this camp will clear their doubts.” Separately, the Mahasangha’s women’s wing, Matua Matrisena, donated Rs 10 lakh to the family of two-year-old Arush Banik from Shimulpur, who suffers from MPS-2, a rare genetic disorder requiring treatment costing around Rs 43 lakhs Matrisena chief Soma Thakur handed over the cheque after the family sought help from the Thakurbari.