Overview
- Rival groups aligned to BJP leader Shantanu Thakur and TMC MP Mamata Bala Thakur fought near Thakur’s residence in Thakurnagar, leaving several injured as police moved in to restore order.
- Thakur had said losing about one lakh Matua votes would be an acceptable “sacrifice” if 50 lakh alleged Rohingya and Bangladeshi or Pakistani Muslims were removed from rolls, later claiming his words were misinterpreted.
- Draft voter lists from the Election Commission’s Special Intensive Revision show higher shares of ‘unmapped’ electors in Matua-heavy constituencies such as Gaighata, Bagda, Kalyani and Haringhata, with 58 lakh names dropped statewide for listed reasons.
- TMC accused the BJP of betraying the community and called the assertion of 50 lakh Rohingyas in Bengal baseless, as Matua protesters demanded answers over voter deletions.
- A separate row flared after BJP MLA Asim/Ashim Sarkar was quoted saying even one or two lakh Matua names could be deleted, drawing sharp condemnation from TMC.