Kolkata, Sep 2 (IANS) Trinamool Congress MP from Krishnanagar Lok Sabha constituency in Nadia district of West Bengal, Mahua Moitra, on Tuesday, came under all-round scathing criticism, even from within her own party, for her recent adverse comments about the Matua community in the state.

Matuas, a backward-class Hindu community coming to West Bengal as refugees from neighbouring Bangladesh and specially settled in pockets of Nadia and North 24 Parganas districts in West Bengal, had been a dedicated vote bank for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the state since the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

Even in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, when Trinamool Congress had landslide victories in most of the constituencies in West Bengal, BJP candidates won from both Bangaon constituency in North 24 Parganas district and Ranaghat constituency in Nadia district, both being Matua-dominated constituencies.

At a recent public meeting at Krishnanagar, Moitra commented on the leanings of the Matua Community voters towards the BJP.

“What kind of approach is this when one is with Trinamool Congress around the year, and then behaves like a traditional Hindu before the elections? When you need work, development schemes, or roads, you think of Mamata Banerjee. You come to collect allowance under different state development schemes, wearing wooden bracelets. Then what happens to you? I know that the video of my speech will go viral. I really do not care,” the Trinamool Congress MP was heard saying at the public meeting at Krishnanagar.

BJP Lok Sabha member from Bangaon and the Union Minister of State for Ports, Shipping, and Waterways, Shantanu Thakur, who himself hails from the Matua community, claimed that the allowance that Moitra was speaking of was a state government allowance and not the Trinamool Congress’ allowance.

“Neither Mamata Banerjee nor Mahua Moitra was giving allowance from their own kitty. State government funds were being used to pay allowances to the common people. Mahua Moitra is herself not a Matua. What she said was highly insulting to the Matua community. They will give a fitting reply to this,” Union Minister Thakur said.

All India Matua Mahasangh, which is led by Trinamool Congress Rajya Sabha member Mamata Bala Thakur, also strongly criticised Moitra over her comments.

“The allowances were part of the state government’s development projects and were not personal initiatives.”

“Mahua Moitra should apologise unconditionally for such comments. If she does not apologise, the Matuas will be forced to take alternative decisions in the coming days. The matter will be reported to the Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee,” Mahasangh General Secretary Sukesh Chowdhury said.

–IANS

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