Trinamool Congress Rallies to Secure Matua Community Support Amid SIR Challenges in West Bengal

Kolkata:

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is scheduled to conduct a rally in Thakurnagar, a border district, on November 25. Thakurnagar serves as the headquarters for the Matua community, which is currently experiencing unrest regarding the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR).

The Matua community is presently divided into two factions. One group supports the Trinamool Congress (TMC), led by Rajya Sabha MP Mamata Bala Thakur, while the other backs the BJP under the leadership of Union Minister of State Shantanu Thakur.

TMC is making extensive efforts to strengthen Matua support before next year's state elections.

The Matua community holds significant influence in at least 30 Assembly constituencies in Bengal and maintains a dominant presence in 70 SC reserved assembly seats. Bengal has a total of 294 seats. According to the 2011 census data, Matuas constitute 17 percent of Bengal's population.

A portion of the Matua community in West Bengal celebrated when the central government notified the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) last March, prior to the country's Lok Sabha elections. This Hindu namasudra community, having fled from East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) to settle in West Bengal, had long advocated for the CAA, which was finally implemented by the Modi-led NDA government. However, Bengal BJP sources indicate that Matuas are facing difficulties gathering documentation to establish their citizenship during the current SIR process.