1,000 CAA camps in Bengal ahead of SIR: BJP strategy or political insecurity?

As West Bengal prepares for an intensive revision of its electoral rolls (SIR), the BJP has launched over 1,000 Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) camps across the state. In a panel discussion, Shikha Mukerjee, veteran journalist, Shubhankar Bhattacharya, TMC spokesperson, and Samir K Purkayastha, senior editor of The Federal, debated the political and legal implications of these camps, exploring whether the move is a calculated strategy or a sign of electoral insecurity.

CAA camps explained

Mukerjee began by highlighting the dual narrative behind the camps. “The focus is on the illegal migrants versus the persecuted Hindus,” she said. While the camps are officially intended to regularize persecuted Hindu refugees from Bangladesh, she noted that they also serve as a political diversion. The BJP, she explained, has struggled to complete the appointment of Booth Level Officers (BLOs) required for the SIR at both district and booth levels. “Instead of catching up, they’ve diverted attention through the CAA camps,” she said.

Mukerjee also pointed out the strategic concentration of these camps in four key districts—North 24 Parganas, Nadia, Dinajpur, and Cooch Behar—bordering Bangladesh. “These districts contributed over 50 per cent of the BJP’s 70-plus seats in 2021,” she explained. The camps, therefore, appear designed to consolidate the Hindu vote bank in areas where the party has traditionally performed well.

Addressing the legal aspect, Mukerjee argued that the camps are not inherently illegal. “The issue is not the CAA itself; the concern is the SIR. If BJP hasn’t managed the electoral framework properly, what is the point of the CA camps except to divert attention?”

Also read: SIR in TN: Amid BJP vs DMK, EC meeting with parties likely on Oct 28 in Chennai

Ground realities

Shubhankar Bhattacharya, TMC spokesperson, shared his perspective on the camps’ impact on communities. He noted that the targeted districts are home to the Matua community, historically linked to Bangladesh. “The BJP is trying to create a direct divide between the Matuas and the Muslims across the border,” he said.

Bhattacharya highlighted the economic and social ties with Bangladesh, pointing out that these regions are deeply intertwined in trade and culture. “West Bengal’s demographic and economic landscape has historically included connections across the border,” he said. He also suggested that attempts to leverage religious identity could backfire politically. “When Santanu Thakur visited these areas, he was met with black flags from his own community. This strategy may alienate the very voters BJP is trying to consolidate,” he added.

Also read: EC to launch first phase of all-India SIR next week

The SIR connection

The discussion shifted to how CAA camps intersect with the SIR. Mukerjee explained that the SIR aims to verify voter identities, and deficiencies in the BJP’s preparation may have prompted these camps. “This is about playing catch-up. The CAA camps act as a face-saving measure while they navigate the complexities of the SIR,” she said.

Purkayastha elaborated on the scale of the challenge. “Bengal has roughly 7.5 crore voters. The SIR comparison with the 2002 electoral roll shows that around 3.5 crore names don’t match. Many of these are in the Matua community, BJP’s key vote bank,” he said. He added that the camps could reassure voters that even if their names are missing in SIR, citizenship and voting rights could be restored through the CAA process.

Also read: SIR in Bengal: How BJP is planning to leverage CAA to reassure refugees

Historical context

Purkayastha traced the evolution of the citizenship laws. The 2003 Citizenship Act introduced the “illegal migrant” category, restricting citizenship for migrants from Pakistan and Bangladesh. The 2019 CAA amendment provided a path for non-Muslim refugees, mainly Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis, and Christians, to apply for citizenship.

“This history explains why many refugees remain reluctant to apply under the CAA. Once you accept that you entered India illegally, future governments could again question your citizenship,” Purkayastha said. He emphasized that legal safeguards for these communities remain uncertain, adding complexity to the SIR and CAA integration.

Political implications

Mukerjee noted the BJP’s longstanding narrative of highlighting illegal migrants versus persecuted Hindus, dating back over 40 years. “Through CAA and SIR, BJP is creating Hindu vote banks in border areas, repeating strategies from the 2016, 2021, and 2024 elections,” she said.

Bhattacharya added that while the TMC remains confident, the camps could cause confusion and tension on the ground. “We’ve seen factions of the BJP clashing internally and incidents of vandalism at camp sites in Kalyani. TMC will also mobilize rallies in mid-November against SIR,” he noted.

Purkayastha cautioned that both BJP and TMC face risks. For BJP, mishandling the SIR could alienate their core vote banks. For TMC, gaps in voter protection may send wrong signals to the Hindu community. “We have to wait and watch how this unfolds,” he said.

Also read: Nationwide SIR: Election Commission steps up preparations

Community response

Mukerjee emphasized the historical narrative of division. “From the late 1990s, the discourse of illegal migrants and Bangladeshis has been politically charged. The BJP is reiterating this narrative, using CAA camps to solidify voter loyalty,” she said.

Bhattacharya observed that while Mamata Banerjee may not appear intimidated, political optics matter. “A concerned chief minister is always a tactical advantage in Bengal,” he said, suggesting that the camps may heighten tensions even without directly affecting TMC’s voter base.

The panel concluded that the CAA camps in West Bengal serve multiple functions: consolidating BJP’s Hindu vote bank, addressing potential voter disenfranchisement from the SIR, and asserting political presence in border districts. Yet, experts cautioned that these measures could backfire if communities feel alienated or confused about documentation and rights.

As West Bengal heads towards the SIR rollout, the interplay between CAA camps, historical narratives, and political strategy will continue to shape electoral dynamics in one of India’s most politically charged states.

(The content above has been generated using a fine-tuned AI model. To ensure accuracy, quality, and editorial integrity, we employ a Human-In-The-Loop (HITL) process. While AI assists in creating the initial draft, our experienced editorial team carefully reviews, edits, and refines the content before publication. At The Federal, we combine the efficiency of AI with the expertise of human editors to deliver reliable and insightful journalism.)