On the death anniversary of Binapani Devi, the former head of Matua Mahasangha in West Bengal, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee criticized the Centre and the Election Commission of India for deliberately excluding Matua voters from the electoral rolls. Matuas, belonging to the Hindu backward class community and refugees from Bangladesh, primarily reside in North 24 Parganas and Nadia districts of the state.
Banerjee expressed disappointment over the BJP government’s actions, accusing them of creating instability and confusion among Matua community members. She highlighted concerns about their citizenship and deliberate exclusion from the voters’ list through the SIR process. Emphasizing her stance against this injustice, Banerjee vowed to fight for the rights of the people of West Bengal, especially the Matua community.
The Chief Minister affirmed her commitment to protecting the people of West Bengal, including the Matuas, from any form of oppression. She declared her determination to resist any attempts to infringe upon the rights of the state’s residents. Banerjee announced her intention to lead a sustained sit-in protest at Esplanade in Central Kolkata starting Friday to oppose the SIR exercise, although the duration of the demonstration remains uncertain.
In response to Banerjee’s remarks, Rahul Sinha, former national secretary of the BJP and the party’s ex-state president in West Bengal, accused the Chief Minister of trying to incite the Matua community unnecessarily. Sinha reiterated Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah’s assurances that no Matua individual would be denied citizenship or deported. He dismissed Banerjee’s attempts to provoke the Matuas, asserting that she would not succeed in her endeavors.
