SIR Threatens Matua Voting Rights, Prompting BJP-TMC Scramble in West Bengal
Voter purge ignites crisis in Bengal's refugee heartland.
West Bengal's Matua community faces acute distress as the Election Commission's Special Intensive Revision (SIR), the first since 2002, requires linkage to the 2002 voter list. Thousands of post-2002 migrants from Bangladesh, lacking documentation, risk losing voting rights across over 40 assembly seats in North 24 Parganas, Nadia, and South 24 Parganas. This process has amplified fears of widespread disenfranchisement, threatening the electoral equilibrium in these influential border districts.
The BJP and TMC, both reliant on Matua votes, are grappling with potential losses in this strategic stronghold. BJP Union Minister Shantanu Thakur assures reinstatement via the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), but skepticism persists. His brother, MLA Subrata Thakur, estimates 30–40 lakh refugees may qualify under CAA, yet highlights the Election Commission's autonomy. Internal BJP tensions surfaced with the vandalism of a CAA camp in Kalyani, signaling possible voter backlash in key 2021 gains.
TMC Rajya Sabha MP Mamata Bala Thakur is mobilizing leaders at Thakurnagar on November 2, decrying CAA as empty promises while claiming shifting Matua support. Analyst Suman Bhattacharya notes the paradox: CAA applications label applicants as foreigners, voiding current rights amid SIR deletions. In Bongaon and Ranaghat areas, where Matuas form 25–40 percent of voters—reaching 60 percent in some segments—the exclusions could decisively impact both parties.
Also Read: West Bengal Voters Can Now Call 1950 for Electoral Roll Assistance
Uncertainty extends to pre-2014 arrivals ineligible for CAA post-December 31, 2014, leaving many without recourse. Matua Mahasangha's Mahitosh Baidya criticizes governmental ambiguity, pointing to merely 400–500 certificates issued against one crore claimants. Prolonged delays undermine trust among long-term residents.
Despite BJP's 1,000 CAA camps and TMC's family outreach in critical districts like North 24 Parganas and Nadia, no clear solution emerges. TMC views SIR as harassment; BJP blames misinformation. With these areas driving over half the BJP's 2021 assembly wins, the revision risks converting political assurances into enduring electoral damage.
Also Read: Delhi MCD Bypolls Set for November 30 in 12 Wards, Counting on December 3
