Thakur Nagar in Bangaon is currently witnessing Mamata Bala Thakur, accompanied by her daughters and an infant grandson, engaging in a 'fast unto death' in protest of her alleged expulsion from her residence. The Rajya Sabha member from the Trinamool Congress is pointing fingers at her nephew, Shantanu Thakur, who is a Union minister and the BJP candidate in the Bangaon Lok Sabha constituency in West Bengal.
Mamata Bala recounts the incident, stating that Shantanu Thakur and his companions forcefully entered her home on April 7, resulting in her family being locked out of their own residence. They are now compelled to reside in the kitchen and storage areas. Mamata Bala has filed complaints with the police and resorted to legal action seeking justice.
Regarding the family dispute in Thakur Nagar, it is not only a personal matter but also intertwined with politics and the control of the All India Matua Mahasangha, the leading organization of the Matua community, a
Hindu sect originating from a reformist movement initiated by Harichand Thakur in Orakandi, East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) in the early 19th century. The Matua community, which includes Namashudras, Chamars, and Malis, historically marginalized by upper-caste Hindus in Bengal, migrated to West Bengal and other parts of India post the Partition of 1947 to escape religious persecution.
With the Matua community constituting nearly 17% of West Bengal's population and wielding influence in approximately 10 Lok Sabha constituencies, both the TMC and BJP are vying for their support ahead of elections. The BJP is optimistic that the recent implementation of Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) regulations will garner widespread backing from the Matuas, providing them with a pathway to citizenship and a secure future.
In contrast, the TMC has cautioned the Matuas against availing citizenship under the CAA rules, criticizing the BJP government for offering "conditional citizenship" to migrants from East Pakistan and Bangladesh. As political parties strategize to secure the Matua community's support, the unfolding events in Thakur Nagar underscore the complex interplay between personal conflicts, political ambitions, and the significant role of communities in shaping electoral outcomes in West Bengal.