Matua Community 2025: History, Population, Political Influence, CAA Crisis and Latest Updates

Matua community 2025: 3–4 crore strong, history, population, CAA crisis & SIR protests in Thakurnagar. Latest on West Bengal’s most powerful SC vote bank ahead of 2026 polls.

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The Matua community — one of India’s most politically influential Scheduled Caste groups — is making headlines again in 2025. With roots in Bangladesh, a population of over 3–4 crore, and decisive voting power in 50+ Assembly seats of West Bengal, the Matuas have become the ultimate swing vote ahead of the 2026 Bengal elections. The ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and the rollout of CAA rules have pushed thousands into hunger strikes in Thakurnagar while others queue up for citizenship certificates.

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Who Are the Matuas? Origin and History

Founded: Late 19th century (1880s) in Orakandi, Gopalganj (present-day Bangladesh)
Founders: Harichand Thakur (1812–1878) and his son Guruchand Thakur (1847–1937)
Original name: Matua Mahasangha — a Vaishnava reformist sect among Namasudra (Dalit) Hindus who faced extreme caste oppression
Core teaching: Simple bhakti, rejection of Brahminical rituals, dignity of labour, education for all, and women’s empowerment
Mass migration: Began during Partition (1947), peaked after 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War due to religious persecution
Spiritual headquarters: Thakurbari, Thakurnagar, North 24 Parganas (70 km from Kolkata)

Today, Matuas are the second-largest Scheduled Caste community in West Bengal after the Poundra Kshatriya.

Matua Population and Political Strongholds (2025 Estimates)

State / Region	Estimated Matua Population	Key Districts / Seats
West Bengal	2.5–3 crore	North 24 Parganas, Nadia, South 24 Parganas, Cooch Behar, Malda, Howrah
Rest of India (Assam, Tripura, Odisha, Jharkhand)	50–80 lakh
Bangladesh (original homeland)	1–1.5 crore
Total worldwide	3.5–4.5 crore

In West Bengal alone, Matuas influence:

9 Lok Sabha seats
45–55 Assembly constituencies
Roughly 17–20% of total SC votes (SC = 23.5% of Bengal population)

Political Journey of the Matua Vote

Election Year	Dominant Party	Reason
Pre-2011	Left Front / Congress	Traditional SC support
2019 Lok Sabha	BJP (swept Matua belt)	Promise of fast-track CAA citizenship
2021 Assembly	BJP won many seats, but TMC retained power	CAA rules not notified
2024 Lok Sabha	BJP retained leads, but margins reduced	CAA rules notified in March 2024
2024 Bypolls	TMC snatched back Bongaon & Ranaghat	Anti-incumbency + Mamata’s personal outreach
2025–2026	Fierce TMC vs BJP battle ongoing	SIR fear + CAA implementation confusion

CAA and Matuas: Promise vs Reality in 2025

The Citizenship Amendment Act 2019 was tailor-made for Matuas:

Covers Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, Parsi, Christian migrants from Bangladesh, Pakistan, Afghanistan who entered India before 31 Dec 2014
Rules notified: 11 March 2024 (on Harichand Thakur’s birth anniversary)
Over 15,000 Matuas applied within first year; camps charge ₹700–₹1,000 for paperwork

Yet confusion reigns:

Many lack Bangladeshi documents or pre-2014 entry proof
SIR 2025 uses 2002 voters’ list as base → fear of name deletion
TMC warns: “Applying for CAA = admitting you are foreigner → automatic voter list removal”
BJP counters: “CAA is shield; genuine refugees safe”

Result: Parallel scenes in Thakurnagar — hunger strikes by TMC Matuas vs long queues at BJP-run CAA camps.

Current Crisis 2025: SIR vs CAA Clash in Thakurnagar

Key events as of November 27, 2025:

Nov 4: Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls begins in Bengal
Nov 5 onwards: TMC MP Mamata Bala Thakur starts indefinite hunger strike at Thakurbari
Nov 25: CM Mamata Banerjee holds massive 3-km roadshow in Thakurnagar, calls SIR “anti-refugee conspiracy”
BJP Union Minister Shantanu Thakur (Mamata Bala’s nephew) runs parallel CAA facilitation camp
Reported 35+ deaths linked to SIR-related stress and suicides
Over 5,000 CAA applications filed in Bongaon-Nadia belt in last 30 days

Famous Matua Personalities

Name	Party	Position
Dr. Sharmistha Thakur	TMC	Former MP, granddaughter-in-law of Guruchand
Mamata Bala Thakur	TMC	Rajya Sabha MP, leading 2025 hunger strike
Shantanu Thakur	BJP	Union MoS, Ports & Shipping; Bongaon MP
Manjul Krishna Thakur	TMC	Former minister
Binapani Devi (Boro Ma)	—	Revered matriarch (died 2019)

Why Matuas Matter in 2026 West Bengal Elections

Can single-handedly decide 40–50 Assembly seats
Combined with Bengal’s 29–30% Muslim vote, forms a potent TMC counter-alliance
BJP’s 2019 surge in Bengal was built almost entirely on Matua consolidation
Whoever wins the Matua heartland in 2026 will have a clear path to Writers’ Building