Trinamool Congress national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee launched a scathing attack on the Bharatiya Janata Party on Friday, accusing it of politically exploiting the Matua community and then abandoning them. He delivered his speech in Taherpur, Nadia, at the very ground where Prime Minister Narendra Modi's rally was cancelled due to bad weather a fortnight ago.
Allegations of Betrayal and Political Exploitation
Addressing a gathering, Banerjee sharply criticized the BJP for its stance towards the Matuas, a politically influential Scheduled Caste community in West Bengal. "Those who won elections by seeking the support of Matuas and are now abandoning them, never stood by the people," he stated. He highlighted that BJP representatives had spoken about removing names from lists, a claim he said no one from the TMC had made.
Banerjee questioned the BJP's legitimacy, asking, "Are we illegal? Only Narendra Modi is legal? Are Matua brothers illegal? Then, is Shantanu Thakur legal? Matuas are illegal but Amit Shah is legal?" He accused the BJP of only visiting the community for photo opportunities, particularly referencing 'Boroma' (Binapani Devi, the matriarch of the Matua community), without enquiring about her well-being when she was alive.
Direct Challenge to BJP Leadership
The TMC leader directly challenged top BJP figures, linking their electoral success to Matua support. "With whose votes did you become MPs and MLAs? Some became central ministers, and one became the PM. Don't you feel ashamed?" he asked, referring to comments by BJP MP Shantanu Thakur and a BJP MLA about the removal of names.
Banerjee issued a stark ultimatum: "Either give us unconditional citizenship or PM Narendra Modi must resign. Either give unconditional citizenship or Amit Shah must leave his chair. Either provide unconditional citizenship or Shantanu Thakur must resign." He framed this as the only acceptable resolution for the community.
Criticism of SIR Process and a Call to Action
Banerjee also launched a fierce critique of the Special Summary Revision (SSR/SIR) process of the electoral roll, comparing the long queues it created to the demonetisation exercise of 2016. In a dramatic moment, he presented individuals who were erroneously declared dead in the SIR list.
"Look at these three people. The Election Commission declared them dead voters. They are standing beside me," he said, questioning the oversight of the authorities. He concluded with a rallying cry for the upcoming elections, urging supporters to answer the BJP at every polling booth "so that for the next 50 years they think before declaring war against Bengal."
Earlier in the day, Banerjee paid his respects at the Thakurbari temple in Thakurnagar, North 24 Parganas, offering obeisance to Matua icons Harichand and Guruchand Thakur, underscoring his party's outreach to the community.
