TMC, CPI(M) lock horns over Matua support

The tug of war has begun between the political parties for getting the support of the Matua Mahasangha, a powerful socio-religious organisation of the lower caste people in south Bengal.

A rally organised by the Matua Mahasangha in Kolkata today witnessed a rare scene where all the major parties shared the dais with the Matuas and expressed solidarity with the Matua people.

The Matuas, based in Thakurnagar, North 24 Parganas, are mostly refugees from erstwhile East Pakistan.

A 50 lakh strong vote bank, the Matuas wield considerable influence in districts like Nadia, North 24 Parganas and adjacent areas and their support can seriously impact the outcome of elections in at least 50 assembly seats in the state.

In their race for obtaining the support of the Matua Mahasangha, leaders of the CPI (M), the Congress, the TMC and the BJP shared the dais. Today, the Matua Mahasangha held a rally at Kolkata to press for citizenship of hundreds of refugees who have come across the border from Bangladesh, mostly in the last two decades.

According to Indira-Mujib Treaty of 1972 (now defunct), people who had come over from Bangladesh in 1971 would be eligible for Indian citizenship.

The Matua Mahasangha demanded that the law should be amended accordingly to enable the refugees of later days to become Indian citizen.

Goutam Deb, a senior CPI (M) leader and minister, addressed the rally and proposed that an all-party delegation comprising 42 MPs from West Bengal should meet the Prime Minister and press for this demand.

Manas Bhuiyan, the PCC president, supported Deb's proposal and pledged before the crowd that he would himself approach the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress president Sonia Gandhi and apprise them of the 'just demands' made by the Matuas. Tathagato Roy, the state BJP leader, addressed the rally and reiterated their party's position that the Hindu refugees must be granted citizenship of India.

The TMC contingent comprised Union minister of state Mukul Roy, Govinda Naskar and Jyotipriyo Mullick; the last two are an MP and an MLA from North 24 Parganas respectively. But after hearing Goutam Deb they left the venue without addressing the crowd.

Though no immediate explanation was provided by the organisers, it is surmised that they did not want to join issue with the Left and take part in an all-party delegation to the Centre as proposed by the CPI (M) leader.

The Matuas traditionally have been supporting the Left in the state. But during the general elections, the Matuas for the first time lent their support to the TMC which caused a lot of heartburn in the Left camp. After that, the Left leaders started wooing the Matua Mahasangha with renewed vigour, which in turn forced other political parties to compete for their favour.

The state government has recently introduced an award in the name of Harichand and Guruchand Thakur, the founder figures of the Matua movement.

Today, Goutam Deb announced that the Left government would allot land at Rajarhat New Town to set up a Matua Trust there. The Matuas have started playing their hands cleverly.

Yesterday, a signed statement was issued by the Matua Mahasangha's chief Binapani Thakur stating that a news item published by a local daily wrongly attributed to her that she desires to see Mamata as the next chief minister of the state.