Kolkata, 21 July (H.S.) -

Senior Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader and Rajya Sabha MP Mamatabala Thakur has levelled serious allegations against Union Minister Shantanu Thakur and the BJP-led central government, accusing them of extorting money from members of the Matua community under the pretext of granting Indian citizenship.

Speaking at TMC’s annual Martyrs’ Day rally in Dharmatala on Monday, Mamatabala Thakur, a key representative of the Matua community, accused the BJP of misleading the Matuas by making false promises of citizenship in exchange for money. “The BJP is playing with the emotions of the Matua community. Citizenship has become a political tool for them—a mere vote-bank strategy. They’ve taken money and given nothing in return,” she said from the stage.

She directly blamed Shantanu Thakur—who himself belongs to the Matua community and is a prominent BJP leader from the region—for orchestrating this scheme. “Shantanu Thakur raised hopes among the Matuas by promising citizenship. But till date, neither has anyone received citizenship nor has the process been made transparent,” she alleged.

Mamatabala Thakur also highlighted the role of the TMC government in supporting the community. “Unlike the BJP, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s government has always treated the Matua community with respect and ensured justice,” she added.

Her sharp remarks have stirred political debate in Bengal, particularly because the Matua community holds considerable influence in several Lok Sabha constituencies across the state. With her allegations coming from such a prominent stage, TMC appears to be making a calculated move to reignite discontent among Matua voters ahead of upcoming elections.

As of now, neither the central government nor Shantanu Thakur has issued a formal response to the allegations. However, political observers believe the TMC is likely to escalate this issue further in its campaign narrative in the coming months.

Hindusthan Samachar / Satya Prakash Singh