The pro-BJP faction in the All India Matua Mahasangha has urged the central government to "sympathetically" consider granting asylum to Hindus and members of other minority communities fleeing violence in Bangladesh.

The organisation also suggested that if members of the Bangladeshi minority communities applied for Indian citizenship because of "religious persecution" under the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019, the central government should treat the pleas as special cases.

The Mahasangha proposed that one of the criteria for citizenship — entry to India before December 31, 2014 — be exempted for the people fleeing the alleged religious persecution in Bangladesh following the downfall of the Sheikh Hasina government.

The Mahasangha plans to raise these concerns during a gathering of Matuas at Duttapukur in North 24-Parganas on Sunday. The event has been called to protest against the alleged atrocities committed against Hindus and other non-Muslims in Bangladesh over the past two weeks.

Matuas of Bangladesh will organise a large rally at Orakandi in the Gopalganj district of the country on Wednesday to protest against the violence. Orakandi is the birthplace of Harichand Thakur, the founder of the Matua sect, and his son Guruchand Thakur, a prominent social reformer.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had visited Orakandi in March 2021.

"It is a dire situation in Bangladesh where lawlessness seems to prevail. The students' agitation may have brought about a change, but Matuas and other Hindus have been unjustly labelled as enemies of the state. The new rulers have shown little interest in protecting them. In such a situation, the Indian government cannot remain a passive observer," Mahitosh Baidya, the general secretary of the pro-BJP faction of the All India Matua Mahasangha, told The Telegraph.

"We will bring up these issues at the rally on Sunday. We also urge that any asylum request be treated as special cases with relaxed CAA provisions," he added.

Last week, around 1,000 Bangladeshis had gathered near the international border in north Bengal with pleas to enter India. The BSF forced them to retreat.

The Narendra Modi government has set up a committee to communicate with the Border Guards Bangladesh to ensure the security of Hindus and other minorities.

Baidya said: "We know that the central government is aware of the situation in Bangladesh and has taken steps like forming this committee. However, we now seek a more proactive approach to ensure the safety of Hindus and, if necessary, to consider granting asylum to those forced to flee to save their lives."