Union home minister Amit Shah’s renewed assertion that the CAA will be implemented once the pandemic recedes has raised suspicion among Matuas.

A major section of the community, which has been supporting the BJP since 2019, alleged that this was the second time in two years Shah had “used corona to buy time”.

The Matuas are also apprehensive that the Centre could bury the CAA in view of a political fallout.

Several BJP MLAs urged Shah in Calcutta on Friday to implement the CAA as early as possible since the party was becoming “weaker day by the day” in Bengal.

At least two MLAs — Ashim Sarkar and Swapan Majumdar, who represent the Matuas — sought clarifications for the delay and submitted a written appeal to make the CAA effective “immediately”.

“The delay appears to be unending. Every time a BJP leader comes from Delhi and assures us about the implementation of the CAA. But, it now seems that they have a different plan. We will not be surprised even if they decided to dump the CAA,” a leader of the All India Matua Mahasangha in North 24-Parganas said.

On December 21, 2020, during a media conference in Bolpur, Shah had stated that the framing of the CAA rules would begin once the vaccination for Covid-19 starts.

“In December 2020, the Union home minister’s statement was credible due to the Covid situation since vaccination was a priority for the government then. But almost 15 months later when the situation is largely normal, exploiting the Covid situation again to buy time raises doubts about the actual intentions of the government,” the AIMM leader said.

Another Matua leader in Nadia’s Hanskhali said: “Covid cases have largely reduced but the virus has not been eradicated. So it is not clear how the home minister expects corona to be over and what he actually means by saying that the CAA will come into effect once the disease is over. It appears he is deliberately buying time for an indefinite period with an aim to enjoy political benefits,” the Matua leader added.

Matuas who work for the BJP at the grassroots in Nadia and North 24-Parganas want organisations representing them to set a “deadline” for the Centre so that the BJP leadership stops making promises and takes actions to implement the CAA.

“We have had enough of promises. Now it’s time to tell Narendra Modi and Amit Shah that December 31, 2023, is your deadline. If possible, show your honesty to make the CAA effective by this time,” a Matua leader close to BJP MP and AIMM chief Shantanu Thakur said in Thakurnagar.

Speaking to The Telegraph, BJP MLA Ashim Sarkar said: “It is true that we are under tremendous pressure and doubts are cropping up in our minds about the CAA, which Trinamul is trying to encash. So I apprised Amit Shah about our concerns and made a written submission. At the same time, I sought to know what the party actually means by the end of Corona. He listened to my points carefully but did not offer any reply.”

BJP’s Matua MLA Swapan Majumdar said: “Confusion is quite natural and I brought this to the notice of Amit Shah... so that no other party can exploit the situation.”