Matuas congregated in West Bengal because of the similarity of language and culture to the local Bengali people. As they surged in numbers, the Indian and West Bengal governments forcibly moved them for settlement to harsh terrains, forests, and islands in different states, where many lives were lost due to starvation, being killed by wild animals, and the police killing those who protested against the settlement. In the beginning (1951), the Indian Constitution was in favour of refugees, granting them Indian citizenship. However, the change in demographic pattern in many states due to the influx of refugees, which is continuing, led to the Constitution being amended six times by the Indian government in succession to prevent immigration and grant them citizenship.