In search of Bharaitya 'porichoy': Will the Matua–Namasudras rewrite 'poriborton' in Bengal elections?

When atrocious upwind forced Prime Minister Narendra Modi to cancel a nationalist gathering successful West Bengal's Ranaghat connected December 20, helium chose not to fto the infinitesimal walk quietly. Instead, helium sent retired a connection addressed specifically to the Matua and Namasudra community, acknowledging their decades-long plight and quest to unafraid a spot successful the state they present telephone home.It was a tiny motion successful signifier but a telling 1 successful substance.Prime Ministers bash not routinely contented targeted messages to caste-based spiritual communities. That PM Modi did so, adjacent erstwhile prevented by the weather, points to a governmental information that has been steadily taking signifier implicit the past decade. The Matua–Namasudra assemblage is nary longer connected the margins of Bengal’s politics. It sits adjacent to the Centre.But tin the assemblage present what the BJP present seeks successful poll-bound Bengal and revive what was erstwhile main curate Mamata Banerjee’s clarion call? Can it acceptable successful question different ‘Poriborton’?

It was a uncommon nonstop appeal, naming the community, invoking the arguable Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), and framing dignity arsenic a governmental entitlement alternatively than a favour. The connection raised an evident question. Why does a missed programme with the Matuas merit specified accent from the Prime Minister of India?The reply lies not successful the weather, but successful a agelong and layered past of caste oppression, spiritual reform, Partition-era displacement, and a steadily increasing electoral clout that has turned the Matua–Namasudra assemblage into 1 of the astir intimately watched constituents successful Bengal’s authorities today.

"It is not arsenic if the BJP abruptly discovered them. However, with the CAA, the past of the Matuas becomes precise interesting. They are, of course, contiguous successful definite pockets of Bengal, but they are besides scattered successful ample numbers crossed the state. With the CAA, the BJP felt that they could ballot en masse for the thought of persecuted minorities from Bangladesh getting citizenship, " Deep Halder, writer of "Bengal 2021: An Election Diary", who extensively covered the past West Bengal assembly polls, told TOI.Halder further said: "The BJP besides studied the past of the Matuas, who were a bulwark against Islamisation of the little castes successful East Bengal. During that time, determination were a batch of conversions of little castes into the Islamic fold, and determination was besides caste discrimination. So they (Matuas), wrong the Hindu fold, recovered their ain mythology, which gave structure to galore lower-caste Hindus and, successful immoderate way, kept them wrong the Hindu fold.

This past besides made the assemblage precise absorbing to the BJP.”

Matua–Namasudras: The question of belonging In the country’s fashionable discourse, absorption to the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) often comes wrapped successful the connection of law morality, secularism, and “fear of exclusion”. But question a fewer kilometres northbound of Kolkata, into the exile settlements of North 24 Parganas, and the “popular” framing begins to look precise different.For galore among the Namasudras successful the region, CAA is not an abstract law question. It is simply a instrumentality that yet acknowledges a past they person lived with for generations.Why the Matua-Namasudra assemblage views authorities the mode it does becomes clearer erstwhile 1 looks beyond electoral arithmetic, beyond BJP versus Trinamool Congress (TMC), and adjacent earlier the instauration of Bangladesh.The Namasudras are not migrants by origin. They are among the indigenous communities of eastbound Bengal, erstwhile dispersed crossed the wetlands and riverbanks of what is present Bangladesh. For centuries, they lived astatine the bottommost of the caste hierarchy, known by the historically stigmatising statement “Chandal”. Denied dignity by the caste-driven society, they occupied the margins economically and socially, surviving arsenic peasants, fishermen, and boatmen successful Bengal’s agrarian economy.In the precocious nineteenth century, a quiescent gyration began among them. Led by Harichand Thakur, a Namasudra by birth, the Matua question emerged arsenic a extremist interruption from Brahminical Hinduism. Harichand preached equality, devotion without priestly mediation, and a motivation beingness successful which commencement did not find worth.

For the Namasudras, Matua was not conscionable a socio-religious sect, it was an assertion of self-respect.Crucially, this assertion unfolded astatine a clip erstwhile conversion to Islam appeared, for immoderate oppressed castes, arsenic a way retired of humiliation. However, Harichand Thakur’s teachings offered an alternative. "Thakur was capable to connection an autarkic and alternate abstraction to the Namasudras, distant from some Islam and Brahminical Hinduism, but person to “Dharmic syncreticism”, an admixture of pre-Vedic Kaumadharma, Sahajiya Buddhism and Vaishnavism," writes Avik Sarkar, an adept connected Bengal’s Dalit history, successful his nonfiction "Subaltern Resistance to Islam and Prospects of Dalit-Muslim Alliance successful West Bengal".

Harichand’s son, Guruchand Thakur, took this further. He institutionalised acquisition among Namasudras, encouraged governmental consciousness and repeatedly spoke of the assemblage arsenic “Bir Jaati” (Brave race).“The Guruchand Charit is replete with vivid descriptions of the 2 incidents of communal unit betwixt the Namasudra-Matuas and the Muslims successful Eastern Bengal. Guruchand Thakur, the 2nd Sanghadhipati of the Matuas, often addressed Namasudras arsenic “Bir Jaati” (brave race) and called for resisting immoderate effort to denigrate their corporate honour”, Sarkar writes.The Matua movement, by the aboriginal twentieth century, had go arsenic overmuch a societal unit arsenic a spiritual one.Prolonged plight aft PartitionFor the Namasudras, 1947 was not a cleanable rupture but the opening of prolonged displacement. Many stayed backmost successful East Pakistan, hoping that a Muslim-majority authorities would connection them the dignity Hindus had denied. What followed was disillusionment! They recovered themselves squeezed betwixt spiritual majoritarianism and economical vulnerability.

Communal violence, governmental instability and the dilatory erosion of information pushed successive waves of Namasudras crossed the border.Their migration unfolded implicit decades, not overnight. The riots of 1950, unrest successful the 1960s, and yet the Bangladesh Liberation War successful 1971 forced ample numbers to transverse into India. They arrived successful West Bengal not arsenic migrants seeking accidental but arsenic refugees fleeing uncertainty.

The colony was harsh. Refugee colonies lacked infrastructure, employment was scarce, and the stigma of being “Bangal outsiders” persisted successful the Ghoti-dominated nine of West Bengal.Thakurnagar: The Mecca of MatuasOut of partition-led displacement emerged Thakurnagar successful North 24 Parganas, which grew from a exile colony into the spiritual and organisational centre of the Matua question aft Partition. In the region, religion, memory, and authorities are fused.

The Matua individuality provided continuity to radical whose geography had been torn apart. Over time, this shared past translated into governmental consciousness. The Namasudra–Matua assemblage successful the 21st period is among the largest Scheduled Caste groups successful West Bengal.

While determination is nary authoritative caste-wise count, estimates suggest they signifier astir 17 to 18 per cent of the state’s population. Politically, their beingness stretches crossed North and South 24 Parganas, Nadia, Howrah, Cooch Behar, North and South Dinajpur and Malda.Electoral analysts routinely constituent retired that Matua voters power outcomes successful arsenic galore arsenic 60-65 assembly seats and are dispersed crossed astatine slightest six parliamentary constituencies. In a authorities wherever margins are often tight, that benignant of attraction confers bargaining power.For decades, this powerfulness rested mostly with the Left and aboriginal the Trinamool Congress. Welfare programs, exile rehabilitation, and grassroots networks kept the assemblage electorally aligned, portion the BJP remained peripheral successful Bengal until the mid-2010s.Boroma: Matua matriarch & her lineageThe Thakur household of Thakurnagar occupies a symbolic abstraction that cuts crossed enactment lines. Binapani Devi, known arsenic Boroma, carried Harichand Thakur’s teachings crossed India and became the Matua matriarch. After her decease successful 2019, the authorities accorded her ceremonial with afloat authorities honour, which reflected the designation of Matua's power adjacent among governmental rivals.Her grandson, Shantanu Thakur, present BJP MP from Bongaon, represents the intersection of religion and authorities successful modern Bengal.

Parties tribunal him not simply for endorsement but for entree to a constituency shaped by past alternatively than ideology alone. At the aforesaid time, Boroma’s daughter-in-law, Mamata Bala Thakur, a erstwhile Rajya Sabha member, has been associated with the Trinamool Congress, illustrating that the family’s governmental affiliations chopped crossed enactment lines.

On the “make oregon interruption election” imaginable of the community, Deep Halder says, “The household itself is precise divided.

There is different broadside of the family, which is with the Trinamool Congress (TMC). Yes, it is an important voting bloc, but make-or-break, I would not say.”To trim the Namasudra–Matua assemblage to a ballot slope is to miss the point. Their governmental choices are anchored successful a representation of caste humiliation, of spiritual assertion, of displacement and of delayed recognition. Their powerfulness lies not conscionable successful numbers but successful a shared knowing of what the authorities has owed them and often failed to deliver.

As Bengal’s authorities grows much polarised, the Matua–Namasudra assemblage remains a reminder that individuality present is not manufactured overnight. It is inherited, negotiated, and, increasingly, exercised astatine the polling booth.2014: The twelvemonth of shiftThe displacement began aft 2014. Identity, citizenship, and belonging entered the governmental mainstream successful a mode they had not before. In the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, the BJP won conscionable 2 of Bengal’s 42 seats.

Five years later, successful 2019, it won 18. The leap was not accidental. Constituencies with ample Matua populations, including Bongaon and Ranaghat, swung decisively.The Citizenship Amendment Act played a relation successful this consolidation. While the instrumentality does not sanction Namasudras oregon Matuas, it addresses precisely the information of non-Muslim refugees from Bangladesh who entered India earlier 2014. For a assemblage whose migration was calved of Partition and persecution, the committedness of citizenship was not symbolic.

It was existential.That promise, and the hold successful its implementation, shaped governmental expectations. In the 2021 assembly elections, the BJP fell abbreviated of forming the government, but it inactive emerged arsenic the main absorption with 77 seats, a melodramatic emergence from its three-seat tally successful 2016. Many of these contests were fought bony and nail successful Matua-influenced belts.

The 2024 Lok Sabha elections saw the BJP’s numbers successful Bengal dip to 12 seats, with the Trinamool Congress winning 29.

Yet adjacent then, Matua-heavy constituencies remained competitive, asserting that the assemblage was not locked into imperishable allegiance. It votes, increasingly, with a consciousness of leverage.SIR and the dilemma of citizenshipMore than 1 lakh voters from the Matua heartland, dispersed crossed 4 assembly constituencies successful North 24 Parganas's Bongaon subdivision, are apt to person notices for hearings pursuing the work of draught electoral rolls connected December 16.A connection by inferior Union curate Shantanu Thakur, hinting astatine 1 lakh Matua deletions from elector rolls pursuing SIR, has led to caller unease successful the already anxious Matua loop successful Bengal.Speaking astatine a nationalist gathering astatine Bagdah's Garapota, Thakur, besides the sabhadhipati of the BJP-backed faction of the All India Matua Mahasangha, said: "If excluding 50 lakh infiltrators means that 1 lakh radical from my assemblage are temporarily deprived of voting, which enactment is much beneficial?"

Hitting back, TMC called Thakur's remark "nothing but a cynical, backstabbing betrayal"."For years, they (BJP) dangled the mirage of citizenship successful beforehand of our Matua brothers and sisters, conning them predetermination aft predetermination with honeyed lies, lone to stab them successful the backmost the infinitesimal the votes were pocketed," the enactment said connected X. "Now, with the EC reduced to their obedient B-team, BJP has rammed done their Silent Invisible Rigging (SIR) abomination successful Bengal, forcing millions of Matuas into a humiliating litmus trial of citizenship designed to portion them of their rights and erase their votes," the enactment posted.

In this context, PM Modi's assurance that the Matuas “have the close to unrecorded successful India with dignity acknowledgment to the CAA” could beryllium work arsenic an effort to reassure the assemblage that the ongoing revision of electoral rolls does not dilute its spot oregon legitimacy successful the state.The connection appears aimed astatine separating administrative enactment from questions of belonging, adjacent arsenic concerns implicit elector exclusions proceed to substance unease successful the Matua heartland.The Bengal conflict for 2026On the factors that would astir apt play connected the Matua community’s caput successful the 2026 elections, Deep Halder said that “what is happening successful Bangladesh explains wherefore they near (East Pakistan) successful the archetypal place. Political galvanisation adjacent connected this broadside of the borderline (West Bengal) would punctual them of what is happening connected the different broadside of the borderline (Bangladesh)”.“The nationalist lynching and burning of a Bengali Hindu antheral is simply a precise caller representation for the Matuas.

There is besides a ample chunk of Matuas connected that broadside of the borderline (Bangladesh). I visited their office there, and they are precise alert of the developments successful Bangladesh today. This would besides play connected their minds erstwhile they ballot for either of the governmental parties.”He said the assemblage whitethorn not take 1 enactment solely connected the contented of identity, but “identity is simply a large contented adjacent for Gen Z Matuas". "They are precise alert of their individuality and history. Hindus of different persuasions whitethorn not beryllium alert of galore things, but the Matuas I person met are precise alert of their past and the reasons wherefore they did not person to different faiths, mostly Islam,” Halder told TOI.

For the Matua–Namasudra community, authorities has ne'er been a substance of slogans alone. It has been shaped by memory, by displacement, by the conflict to clasp connected to dignity crossed generations, and by the dilatory dialog of belonging successful a onshore they person helped physique but person often had to warrant their spot in.Their choices person been pragmatic arsenic overmuch arsenic emotional, guided arsenic overmuch by lived acquisition arsenic by ideology. That is wherefore their governmental loyalties person shifted, fractured and reassembled implicit time, resisting immoderate effort to beryllium neatly categorised oregon permanently claimed.

As Bengal moves toward different predetermination cycle, the Matua communicative offers a reminder that electoral behaviour present is seldom divorced from history. Administrative processes, citizenship debates and developments crossed the borderline are not abstract issues for this community; they interaction upon inherited anxieties and hard-earned assertions.Whether the Matua–Namasudra ballot consolidates, fragments oregon recalibrates itself successful 2026 volition beryllium little connected promises made from platforms and much connected whether the authorities tin person them that recognition, information and dignity are not provisional, but settled facts of citizenship.