This story is from December 27, 2019

In Jhansi, CAA brings ray of hope to Bangladeshi migrant family

In Jhansi, CAA brings ray of hope to Bangladeshi migrant family
Ashok Kumar Sarkar (in white) with his family. His family migrated to India from the then East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) to India in 1964
Jhansi: Ashok Kumar Sarkar (55), an ayurvedic doctor in Babina town of Jhansi, was apprehensive when cops knocked his door on December 15.
However, Sarkar, whose family migrated to India from the then East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) to India in 1964, was all smiles when police officials informed him that he and his family might soon be granted Indian citizenship as his case have been forwarded to higher authorities.

Sarkar has been living with his family in Babina since 1990.
“Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) has come as a ray of hope to me. I cannot express my joy in words. I have a settled life and stay here with my wife and two children. Still, deep in my heart, I was always apprehensive as I did not have citizenship. This always haunted me especially during those days when there used to be unrest on such issues,” Sarkar told TOI.
“My family migrated to India from Jessore district of then East Pakistan in 1964 and settled in Kolkata. I was only two-year-old then. My father Narain Chandra Sarkar was a farmer. In 1990, we shifted to Babina on the invitation of a relative,” he recalled.
Sarkar said he had to spend six months in jail in 1992 after someone made a complaint against him. A case was registered against him under Section 3/14 of the Foreigners Act.
He was released on bail but the case is still pending in high court.
SSP, Jhansi, OP Singh said: “We have forwarded the case of Ashok Kumar Sarkar to higher ups. As the procedure for the grant of citizenship under CAA is still not clear, we are waiting for the response of senior authorities.”
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