Official Hindu Samman Foundation Letter to PMO: CAA Documentation Gaps

Through this Hindu Samman Foundation Letter, the HSF team submits a formal humanitarian representation regarding the ground realities of Pakistani and Bangladeshi Hindu refugee families. Our organization has been working extensively across India to provide assistance and facilitate legal awareness. Over the past two weeks, our team visited multiple Bangladeshi Hindu refugee settlements in West Bengal, where we documented serious challenges these families face while applying for citizenship under the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA).

These families have been living in India for decades, yet remain undocumented due to the violent and forced nature of their displacement from Bangladesh. We wish to present the following findings for the kind consideration of the Government of India.

1. Ground Observations in this Hindu Samman Foundation Letter

During last year and early January 2026, HSF visited and interacted with Bengali Hindu refugee families in:

• Murshidabad district
• Siliguri and surrounding areas (Islampur region, Gunjariya border settlements)
• North 24 Parganas district

Nearly all families interviewed expressed inability to fulfill documentation requirements mandated in the current CAA online application system.

2. Core Documentation Issue

More than 90% of Bangladeshi Hindu refugees residing in West Bengal entered India illegally under duress, fleeing targeted violence, village burnings, forced conversions, and sexual violence.

Most received basic Indian documents only after entering India (e.g., Aadhaar, ration cards), but do not possess any Bangladeshi identity documents to upload in the CAA portal. As a result, they are unable to complete the application process. This documentation barrier risks leaving nearly 2 crore Bengali Hindu refugees in West Bengal unable to benefit from CAA despite being the primary intended beneficiaries.

3. Other Linked Concerns

• Cut-off Date Limitation: The CAA portal currently restricts eligibility to those who entered India on or before 31st December 2014. However, significant refugee inflow continued post-2014 due to ongoing persecution, especially after recent political shifts in Bangladesh.
• Legal Vulnerability: Without access to citizenship, these communities remain legally “illegal immigrants”, creating fear of deportation and exclusion from democratic rights.
• Voter ID Deactivation: Several families reported that voter IDs are being deactivated under the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process. This risks removing large numbers of Hindu refugees from electoral rolls.

4. Humanitarian & Civic Implications

If documentation barriers are not addressed:

• A civilizationally persecuted Hindu population remains stateless.
• Refugees may lose voting rights in West Bengal.
• Denial of political services and welfare due to non-citizen status.

Many of these families have been living in India for 20–40 years, contributing to local economies peacefully while waiting for citizenship.

5. Humane Suggestions in this Hindu Samman Foundation Letter

With utmost respect, we request consideration of the following:

1. Waiver of Documents: Allow waiver of Bangladeshi identity document uploads for Hindu refugees who entered India informally under persecution and possess Indian-issued documents.
2. Extension of Cut-off Date: Extend the CAA eligibility cut-off date beyond 31st December 2014 to account for continuous refugee inflow post-2014.
3. Alternate Verification Mechanisms: Introduce mechanisms such as self-declaration affidavits, community verification, Local SDM/DM certification, or digitally recorded refugee testimonies.

6. Acknowledgment of Government Initiative

HSF acknowledges the historic significance of CAA as a civilizational act. Our appeal is not criticism, but a request for administrative accommodation. The intent of this Hindu Samman Foundation Letter is to ensure that genuine Bangladeshi Hindu refugees—who lack documents due to persecution—are not left behind.

7. HSF Commitment

HSF is organizing Free CAA Camps to support legally compliant applications and wishes to help the government streamline this process. We are ready to share detailed field data and testimonies if required by the authorities.