Matua Faction Protests: As West Bengal undergoes the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) 2025 of its voter rolls, a major segment of the state’s social and political fabric — the Matua community — has voiced strong dissent. Members of the community, led by one of its primary factions, launched a hunger strike demanding assurance from both the Election Commission of India (ECI) and the state government that their voting rights will remain intact.
This protest, held in North 24-Parganas, has brought renewed attention to the longstanding citizenship anxieties among the Matuas, many of whom are Namasudra Hindu migrants from Bangladesh (formerly East Pakistan). With the NRC (National Register of Citizens) debate and ongoing SIR verification overlapping, the Matua leadership alleges that the revision exercise could be used to “disenfranchise” genuine Indian citizens.
Who Are the Matuas and Why Their Protest Matters
The Matua community, estimated at around 2.5 to 3 crore people, predominantly resides in districts such as North 24-Parganas, Nadia, South 24-Parganas, and Cooch Behar. The community traces its origins to Harichand Thakur, a 19th-century reformer who advocated social equality and upliftment for Dalit Hindus.
After the Partition of Bengal in 1947, many Matuas migrated from East Pakistan to India, later followed by waves during the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War. However, due to their migration timeline, several Matua families have faced documentation challenges — particularly with proving legacy citizenship prior to 1971.
This has made them particularly sensitive to exercises like the National Register of Citizens (NRC) and Special Intensive Revision (SIR), both of which involve document verification.
The Hunger Strike: Voices from the Ground
The protest, organized at Thakurnagar, the spiritual and cultural headquarters of the Matuas, drew hundreds of participants. Protesters, many waving saffron flags and portraits of Harichand-Guruchand Thakur, sat on an indefinite hunger strike, chanting slogans like “Vote rights are our birthright” and “No exclusion in the name of verification.”
Boro Maa’s descendants, representing one faction of the powerful Matua Mahasangha, said the protest was not politically motivated but a “fight for survival.”
“We migrated decades ago, we have Aadhaar, ration cards, and voter IDs. Yet every few years we are forced to prove our citizenship again. This is humiliating,” said Shantanu Biswas, one of the community leaders present at the protest site.
Another protester, Sulekha Mondal, said she feared that “if BLOs (Booth Level Officers) make errors during SIR verification, thousands could lose their right to vote.”
Matua Faction Protests: What is the Special Intensive Revision (SIR)?
The Special Intensive Revision 2025 is a statewide exercise initiated by the Election Commission to clean, verify, and update the electoral rolls. BLOs are conducting door-to-door verification, checking identity documents, and ensuring that voters belong to their claimed constituencies.
While the process is aimed at ensuring fair and accurate voter lists, multiple political parties and communities have alleged bias and manipulation. The BJP, Congress, and CPM have already filed complaints over BLO conduct and possible irregularities in the inclusion/exclusion process.
For the Matua community, however, the issue cuts deeper — it connects directly to their citizenship legitimacy and voting rights, two pillars of their socio-political identity.
Matua Political Importance in Bengal
The Matua community is one of the most politically influential voter groups in Bengal, particularly in North 24-Parganas and Nadia districts, where they hold sway over more than 40 Assembly constituencies.
Both the Trinamool Congress (TMC) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) have actively courted their support in recent elections.
- The BJP gained a significant foothold among Matuas in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, largely due to promises of citizenship under the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA).
- However, the delay in implementing CAA and continued citizenship-related anxiety have caused disillusionment among several sections of the community.
Mamata Banerjee’s TMC has capitalized on this by positioning itself as the protector of “inclusive citizenship,” assuring that no one will lose their right to vote during administrative revisions like SIR.
Political Reactions
The hunger strike quickly caught political attention.
- Trinamool Congress spokesperson Kunal Ghosh said,
“The state government has no role in removing any genuine citizen’s name from the voter list. The Election Commission must ensure transparency, but the Matuas should not fall prey to political misinformation.”
- On the other hand, BJP MP Shantanu Thakur, who also belongs to the Matua community, defended the protesters, stating:
“This is not a political protest. Our people are only asking for what is theirs — the right to vote and live without fear. We demand that the EC immediately issue a clarification ensuring no citizen will be excluded.”
- Congress and CPM also expressed concern, saying that the SIR process must be “error-free” and not driven by “local political pressures.”
Citizenship Anxiety: The NRC and CAA Factor
The Matuas’ fears are rooted in the unresolved CAA-NRC equation. While the BJP has repeatedly promised that CAA (Citizenship Amendment Act) will grant citizenship to persecuted Hindu migrants from Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Afghanistan, its implementation has been indefinitely delayed.
As a result, many Matuas — particularly those who migrated after 1971 — still lack definitive citizenship certificates. The ongoing SIR process, which involves document verification, has rekindled fears that administrative inconsistencies could lead to exclusion from voter rolls, essentially rendering them stateless in electoral terms.
Dr. Pradip Bhowmik, a sociologist at Jadavpur University, explained:
“For marginalized migrant communities like the Matuas, citizenship is not just legal — it’s existential. The fear of losing voter rights is intertwined with identity, belonging, and political recognition.”
Voices of Dissent and Solidarity
Several rights organizations and NGOs have expressed solidarity with the Matua movement. The Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) issued a statement urging the Election Commission to issue clear guidelines and public assurances to prevent panic among vulnerable communities.
The All India Matua Mahasangha, representing another faction of the sect, also appealed for calm while supporting the call for fairness and transparency in voter verification.
Meanwhile, student groups from Jadavpur University and Presidency University have announced symbolic fasts in solidarity, calling the situation “a reminder of the fragility of marginalized citizenship in India.”
Impact on Bengal Politics
Political analysts suggest that the hunger strike could have electoral implications in upcoming panchayat and Assembly elections. The Matuas’ shifting sentiment has the potential to sway several key constituencies, including Bongaon, Gaighata, Bagdah, and Kalyani.
If unresolved, the issue could undermine the BJP’s Matua base, which was crucial in its 2019 and 2021 performances. Conversely, the TMC may attempt to portray itself as the defender of minority Hindu migrants, consolidating its social justice credentials.
Election Commission’s Response
In response to growing concerns, officials from the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of West Bengal stated that the SIR process is “completely neutral and document-based” and that no voter will be arbitrarily removed.
A senior EC official said:
“The Election Commission treats every citizen equally. BLOs are following the same procedure for all households. Complaints, if any, are verified through multiple administrative levels.”
The Commission has also launched awareness campaigns encouraging citizens to use the Voter Helpline App and official portals like https://ceowestbengal.wb.gov.in to check and verify their details independently.
Social Media Response
The hunger strike has triggered widespread discussion across social media platforms. Hashtags such as #MatuaProtest, #RightToVote, and #SIR2025 trended regionally on X (formerly Twitter) and Facebook.
Many users expressed solidarity, while others debated whether the protest was being politically manipulated ahead of elections. Several users shared personal stories of documentation issues, revealing how ordinary citizens struggle to navigate bureaucratic verification systems.
The Broader Debate: Faith, Identity, and Rights
The Matua protest underscores a deeper tension in Bengal’s socio-political landscape — the intersection of religious identity, caste marginalization, and citizenship. While political parties court the community for votes, their core demand remains dignity, stability, and belonging.
Dr. Debanjan Banerjee, political analyst, remarked:
“The Matuas symbolize a larger question: what happens when faith, caste, and legality collide in a post-partition society? Unless these structural insecurities are resolved, protests like this will continue.”
Conclusion: The Road Ahead
The Matua hunger strike has brought to light not only administrative challenges in voter verification but also the emotional and political weight of citizenship in Bengal. As the Election Commission continues its SIR process, it faces the daunting task of balancing accuracy with empathy.
If the EC manages to address the Matuas’ concerns with clarity and transparency, it could restore confidence in the system. But if ignored, the protest might evolve into a larger movement, influencing both voter behavior and electoral outcomes in 2025.
For the Matuas, the struggle is not just about the right to vote — it’s a demand for recognition, respect, and reassurance that their identity as Indians is beyond question.
🔗 External Reference Links:
- Election Commission of India: https://eci.gov.in
- Chief Electoral Officer, West Bengal: https://ceowestbengal.wb.gov.in
- Citizenship Amendment Act, 2019 (Full Text): https://legislative.gov.in
- Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR): https://adrindia.org
- Voter Helpline App: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.eci.citizen
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