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The implementation of the Citizenship Modification Act (CAA) has triggered a confrontation between the BJP and the Trinamool Congress, with Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee calling it an “electoral stance that can make folks foreigners”.
In Bengal, Matua voters are influential in 5 to 6 Lok Sabha constituencies. In Bongaon Lok Sabha constituency, 5 meeting constituencies have almost 50 per cent Matua voters.
To grasp the impact of CAA in Bengal, News18 travelled to Thakurnagar’s Thakurbari, the Matua headquarters, to learn the heartbeat of the folks.
Historical past of Matuas
Matuas are labeled as Scheduled Castes who fled Bangladesh and are refugees in India.
The historical past of the battle for citizenship in Bengal begins from Thakurbari and Hari Chand Thakur.
Hari Chand Thakur was born in 1812 in undivided India in a peasant Namasudra household. After a ‘self-realisation’ that he’s an incarnation of God and must work for the downtrodden, he began the Matua sect with its headquarters in Faridpur.
After Partition, his grandson Pramatha Ranjan Thakur established the headquarters in Thakurnagar and constructed a temple devoted to Harichand Thakur. PR Thakur was a Congress MP and started his combat for citizenship however couldn’t see it to the tip. The group has been pushing for citizenship for over 70 years now and it’s only in 2024 that their dream has come true.
Matua Politics
Pramatha Ranjan Thakur was an MLA in Bidhan Chandra Roy’s Congress authorities and later an MP from the occasion.
After the Left Entrance authorities got here to energy, Matuas gained from the distribution of land and began supporting the Left.
Quickly after, Mamata Banerjee began taking care of “Baro Ma” Binapani Thakur, the spouse of PR Thakur. It was in 2006 that then TMC minister Jyotipriya Mallick made Banerjee perceive the importance of the Matua vote financial institution and the chief minister began growth programmes for the group.
In 2014, Bina Pani’s elder son Kapil Krishna Thakur turned a TMC MP. His brother Manjul Thakur additionally joined the occasion. Nonetheless, Manjul Thakur left TMC abruptly and joined BJP in 2015.
It was throughout this era that the folks of Thakurbari slowly shifted their allegiance to BJP and with the CAA promise, the Matua-dominated areas slowly turned saffron.
Temper of Thakurbari
As one enters Thakurbari, the chants of ‘Hari Bol’ fill the air. The Matua group leaders, referred to as Dalapathis, play drums as they rejoice the Centre’s transfer to inform CAA guidelines by ringing in Holi early.
Priest of Harish’s Thakur temple Harindar Sarkar instructed News18: “For the previous 5 years, I’ve been at this temple. I got here to Bengal in 1979 because of the torture in Bangladesh. We’ve got voter IDs however we have been appeared down upon by folks. There was an insecurity locally that anyone may drive us out. Now we really feel secure.”
News18 additionally caught up with a younger pupil providing prayers on the temple. When requested why the group was insistent on citizenship regardless of having a voter ID, Pratip Biswas stated: “We don’t get authorities jobs as a result of we don’t have papers. Once we apply for passports, they ask for our dad and mom’ papers earlier than 1970. Until now, politicians performed with us however we’re completely satisfied that Modi-ji has lastly helped us.”
Most people dancing to the beats of the drum have been those that got here to India within the 80s. Native Sukhendhu Achieve stated: “I got here in 1986. At present, we have now bought our rights. We’ll proceed this celebration. No matter kind they ask us to fill, we’ll.”
Not solely Achieve, Krishnapadha Choudhury and Nilratan Gosai too recall how they fled from Bangladesh within the 80s.
“CAA has secured our future. No matter Mamata Banerjee is saying shouldn’t be proper. It’s our Independence Day,” Gosai stated.
In Thakurbari, Banerjee’s assertion that she would quit her life however not permit CAA within the state didn’t discover many takers. The chief minister is scheduled to carry an anti-CAA rally in Siliguri on March 13.
Chatting with News18, delivery minister and PR Thakur’s grandson Shantanu Thakur stated: “Residence Minister Amit Shah-ji referred to as me and stated particular trainers will come to the state to assist folks fill types. Banerjee is deceptive the folks. The state has no position on this.”
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