Will Bengal BJP Rally in Matua-Dominated Bangaon on Dec 6 Challenge Trinamool's 'Anti-SIR Campaign'?
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- BJP rally in Thakurnagar on December 6
- Focus on Matua community concerns regarding voting rights
- Presence of key figures like Mithun Chakraborty
- Political implications for upcoming elections
- Trinamool Congress's counter-narrative
Kolkata, Dec 2 (NationPress) The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in West Bengal has announced its plans for a significant rally in the Matua stronghold of Thakurnagar, located in the Bangaon subdivision of North 24 Parganas district, scheduled for December 6.
The primary objective of this rally is to counter the ongoing narrative pushed by the ruling Trinamool Congress, suggesting that members of the Matua community could lose their voting rights due to the current Special Intensive Revision (SIR) being conducted by the Election Commission of India (ECI), potentially jeopardizing their citizenship.
Recently, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee held a major anti-SIR rally in Bangaon on November 25, where she attempted to instill fear among the Matua community, a group recognized as socially marginalized Hindus who migrated from neighboring Bangladesh to West Bengal.
The Matua community represents a significant voter base in the two districts of North 24 Parganas and Nadia, which are adjacent to the Bangladesh border.
Since the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, a considerable portion of the Matua electorate has shown consistent support for the BJP in all subsequent elections.
The highlight of the BJP's rally at Thakurnagar on December 6 will be the presence of film star Mithun Chakraborty, who joined the party prior to the 2021 West Bengal Assembly elections.
BJP's organizational district president for the Bangaon Lok Sabha constituency, Bikash Ghosh, informed the media that the rally is set to commence at 3 p.m.
"A procession will kick off from in front of Thakurnagar Hospital and conclude at Thakurnagar Market. Besides Mithun Chakraborty, our State BJP President Samik Bhattacharya, and the party's Lok Sabha member from Bangaon and Union Minister, Shantanu Thakur, will lead the rally," Ghosh stated.
However, the Trinamool Congress leadership has characterized the BJP's rally on December 6 as a desperate reaction to Mamata Banerjee's successful event in Bangaon on November 25.