Mamata goes all out to Matuas, promises land rights, safety

Kolkata: At a time when the BJP is going all out to woo the Matua community, West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee reiterated her opposition to the Citizenship Amendment Act that promises to benefit the community. Speaking at Ranaghat on Monday, she said the community will lose “its land and identity” if the CAA is implemented, touching on the most pressing issue which the Matuas have been demanding.

“I am asking my Matua brothers and sisters… how long have you been in Bengal? You are safe and secure under this state government. Matuas are already citizens. Then, why will the BJP feed (you) the Citizenship Bill like the “Moa sweet” (a Bengali dessert). After the Citizenship Bill will be applied, you will have no land/no identity,” she said, adding that as long as the TMC is in power, the BJP will not be allowed to declare “anyone living in the state”, a non-citizen. Union Home Minister Amit Shah is likely to visit the Matua community headquarters in Bongaon on January 30 to talk to the community leaders who have been raising questions on the non-implementation of the CAA.

Bongao MP, and one of the prominent Matua leaders, Shantanu Thakur had written to the Central Government twice in recent months for the implementation of CAA. However, Thakur clarified last week that he was hopeful that BJP will fulfil the demand . During his last visit to Bengal, Shah said the CAA will be rolled out after the vaccination process gets done, and had blamed the delay on Covid-19. Many important exercises such as Census 2021 have also been postponed due to Covid-19.Meanwhile, speaking at Nadia, which has a significant Matua population, Banerjee said TMC has given the Matuas water, education and electricity.





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