Matua faction led by TMC MP Mamata Bala Thakur launches hunger strike over citizenship demand

Kolkata, Nov 5 (PTI) A faction of the Matua community led by TMC MP Mamata Bala Thakur on Wednesday began an indefinite hunger strike at Thakurnagar in West Bengal's North 24 Parganas district, protesting against the SIR of electoral rolls and demanding unconditional citizenship for all refugees from Bangladesh.

The protest, being held in front of the Thakurbari, the community’s spiritual headquarters, was called by Thakur, though the MP herself was not present at the site.

The protesters are demanding unconditional citizenship for all those who were displaced and migrated from Bangladesh up until 2024.

"Our protest will continue until the government accepts our demands. We want unconditional citizenship, not citizenship based on Bangladeshi documents or declarations," one of the protesters said.

Meanwhile, Union Minister and BJP leader Shantanu Thakur, who represents another faction of the Matua community, criticised the protest.

"She is making people sit for politics of votes," he said.

In a significant political development, BJP MLA from Gaighata, Subrata Thakur, announced the formation of a third, parallel committee of the Matua Mahasangh, a move that has raised eyebrows.

Shantanu Thakur, however, declined to give much importance to the new faction and urged community members to apply for citizenship under the Citizenship (Amendment) Act.

A CAA help desk has been set up in Kalyani to assist people with applications and provide support, he added.

The Trinamool Congress, however, has maintained its opposition to the CAA. Party’s national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee had earlier warned that those attending CAA camps could face consequences similar to "detention centre situations" witnessed in Assam. PTI BSM MNB