Agartala, September 6, 2025: CPI(M) Politburo member and Leader of Opposition Jitendra Chaudhury on Saturday launched a scathing attack on the Centre over the extension of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) cut-off date, terming the move “unconstitutional” and a deliberate attempt by the BJP to divide society.

“The Citizenship Amendment Act is not in accordance with the Constitution because no law in the country is based on religion. But the ruling BJP is conspiring to further widen the path of division by enacting extra-constitutional laws,” Chaudhury said while reacting to the Union Home Ministry’s recent notification.

He pointed out that as per the CAA, which came into force last year, minorities from neighbouring countries who came to India on or before December 31, 2014, were considered eligible for Indian citizenship. However, the latest notification has now exempted refugees from the requirement of travel documents and extended the cut-off date until the end of 2024. “This means, even those who came without valid papers till 2024 will not be treated as criminals. The government is clearly trying to cross the voting line in the coming days,” he alleged.

Chaudhury further claimed that infiltration into Tripura had taken place earlier and continues even now despite BSF deployment and border fencing. “In some cases, employees of different government departments are providing documents to infiltrators in exchange for money. Instead of addressing this serious issue, the Home Ministry has extended the cut-off date by 10 years, which will make it impossible to identify infiltrators in the future,” he said.

The senior Left leader called upon the people to rise in protest against the Act. “The CAA must be repealed immediately. Otherwise, there will be further division among people,” he warned.