SUVENDU ADHIKARI TARGETS MAMATA OVER CAA AT MATUA COMMUNITY CONVENTION

November 1, 2026

West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari on Sunday criticised his predecessor Mamata Banerjee over her position on the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA), accusing her of dividing the Matua community and failing to address its concerns. He made the remarks while visiting Thakurnagar in North 24 Parganas district, a traditional stronghold of the Matua community, to attend the International Matua Gosai Convention 2026.

Speaking to reporters, Adhikari alleged that the previous state government had done little for the community and had directly opposed the CAA. The legislation provides a pathway to Indian citizenship for members of specified religious minority communities from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan who entered India before the prescribed cut-off date.

Adhikari said he was pleased to visit Thakurnagar and promised to work towards the development of the community. He also indicated that he would make announcements concerning the region and outlined his intention to undertake further initiatives in the coming days.

The Matua community, classified as a Scheduled Caste in West Bengal, traces its origins to a social and religious reform movement that emerged in the late nineteenth century under the leadership of Harichand Thakur. The movement primarily mobilised members of the Namasudra community in undivided eastern Bengal.

The chief minister’s remarks place the CAA and the political representation of the Matua community back at the centre of debate in West Bengal, where citizenship-related concerns have remained an important issue in the state’s political landscape.