The general secretary and two assistant secretaries associated with the Trinamool Congress from a faction of the Matua Mahasangha have been arrested for alleged embezzlement related to the cutting and selling of trees near the Harichand Guruchand Thakur temple in Bagdah, North 24 Parganas district. The accused, affiliated with the Mamata Bala Thakur faction of the Matua Mahasangha, face charges of selling trees without authorization, as reported by police sources. The arrested individuals identified as Pradeep Biswas, Govinda Biswas, and Pabitra Biswas are also linked to the Trinamool Congress in the region.
The incident took place near the Harichand Guruchand Thakur temple close to Helencha Bazar in Bagdah, where several trees are situated. The accused are accused of financial misconduct by selling two trees without the necessary approvals. Following a recent complaint filed at the local police station, the authorities apprehended the trio on Saturday. The BJP Mandal President of Bagdah Block I has called for strict punishment, emphasizing the need to deter future transgressions and highlighting alleged corruption involving Trinamool leaders in the state.
The Matuas, belonging to the Scheduled Caste Namasudra community, have a significant history of migration to India during the Partition and post the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War. The Matua Mahasangha, under the leadership of the Thakur family, descendants of Harichand Thakur, the Matua community’s founder, is a religious sect of Namasudras originating from Orakandi in present-day Bangladesh’s Faridpur district. Following Partition, the Matuas established their headquarters in Thakurnagar, North 24 Parganas. Presently, one faction of the Matua Mahasangha is led by BJP MP and Union Minister Shantanu Thakur, while another faction is headed by former Trinamool MP Mamata Bala Thakur.
