WEST BENGAL--ELECTION--2024
CAA
AND SC + MATUA EFFECT
SARASIJ MAJUMDER
On 11th March 2024, Home Minister Amit Shah announced the implementation of the CAA in INDIA. The four year wait is over. This means giving citizenship to the PEOPLE who had to escape from Pakistan (W+E), ( later Bangladesh), and Afghanistan to India, for fear of life, and settled down here as REFUGEES.. These people include Hindus, Buddhists and Jains amongst others, but excluding migrated MUSLIMS. Matuas formed the second largest group of SCs in Undivided Bengal.The Matua community is an important socio-religious community in West Bengal, India. The history of the Matua community can be traced back to the 19th century and is closely associated with the life and teachings of Hari Chand Thakur and his son Guruchand Thakur. Hari Chand Thakur, the founder of the Matua sect, was born in the village of Orakandi, which is now located in Bangladesh and most of them, who are HINDUS, migrated to WEST BENGAL, some time, or other—after partition of Bengal, and also formation of Bangladesh, due to severe, and continuous persecution by MUSLIMS. Congress, CPI/CPI(M), and later TMC exploited their votes, on FALSE PROMISES. Finally, the years of injustice came to an end for a group of very real and BONAFIDE Indians.
Matuas mostly, are settled in eastern, and south-eastern
districts of West Bengal. The
Matua population will have a major influence in the poll outcome in the Nadia
and North, and South 24 Parganas districts. The community, with a population of
more than 2.5 crores in the state, has a substantial influence over these constituencies, and also in several other
pockets of North Bengal, including North and South Dinajpur. Overall—8 Constituencies
will have influence, amongst which—6 will have strong.
We will discuss the effect of this in coming Election in West Bengal, in three districts here.
North 24 Parganas:-
This district has 5 Lok Sabha seats - Bongaon,
Barrackpore, Basirhat, Barasat and Dum Dum. Of these Bongaon is an SC
reserved seat.
Last time, Bongaon and Barrackpore were won
by the BJP. Later on, Arjun Singh, the winner from Barrackpore defected to TMC.
The rest three were won by the TMC. Now, latest development is—Arjun may be
back in BJP. In that case, both the seat will remain with BJP.
It is important to note that Basirhat
includes Sandesh Khali. However, overall, the seat has 45% Muslim population.
Despite this being a major factor for the polls, and with advantage to TMC, the Matua votes, along with Sandesh Khali
influence are likely to cause an upset
in Basirhat. In 2024, TMC won Dum Dum by just 50,000 votes. That was only 4%
difference. Barasat was won by TMC by just about 1 lakh votes. Difference was 8%.
Also—we hope, GOI, and EC will negate False Voter ID, Adhar Card, and will control
BOOTHS well.
I, being a resident of DUM DUM as Home Town, know well that Dum Dum will slip away from the
TMC into the BJPs fold. Barasat too may just go the same way.
Nadia
Nadia has 2 Lok Sabha constituencies -- Ranaghat and Krishnagar. Ranaghat is
an SC reserved seat. Ranaghat was won by the BJP in 2019 while Krishnagar was
won by none other than Mahua Moitra of the TMC. Now in C-V-Q SCAM.
This is where the biggest harm can be faced by the TMC much
to BJPs gain. Ranaghat is a seat BJP is bound to retain. Krishnagar ,after a
tough fight, may go in favour of the
BJP. The difference was 5% but the votes
was barely 60,000.
South 24 Parganas
Lastly, South 24 Parganas. This district has 4
constituencies- Jayanagar(SC), Mathurapur(SC), Diamond Harbour, and Jadavpur.
All the 4 seats were won by the TMC in 2019.
This is where the worst possible hit will come for the TMC.
Both Jayanagar and Mathurapur has huge SC populations being a reserved seat.
The TMC won Jayanagar by 3 lakh votes while Mathurapur was won by 2 lakh votes.
There was a comprehensive victory for the TMC. Both these seats may prove to be
a challenge for the TMC now. They will not be getting the cake walk they were
expecting on these seats near Kolkata.
Jadavpur, and Diamond Harbour are also not very safe seats
for the TMC to day. In Jadavpur they had polled twice as much votes as the BJP in
2019. Time has changed. I will separately
discuss Diamond Harbour.
All in all, the CAA would eventually help to get the Matuas
their much coveted citizenship. Most Matuas had Aadhar Cards and did receive government
provided benefits as well as other associated benefits for being under the SC
category.
However, this amendment is a confirmation of their
citizenship. BJP has
fulfilled another promise. But the biggest beneficiaries would be one sect of
people who were used as pawns in the game of ELECTION for decades by most of
the Political Parties.
Matuas said, 11th June,2024 is their second independence day.
REFERENCES:-
3.0 https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/second-independence-day-bengals-matua-community-hail-caa-implementation-101710163742478.html
4.0 Image:- COURTSEY TELEGRAPH
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