Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Firhad Hakim has hit out at BJP strongman and Union Home Minister of India, Amit Shah, for his “drama” of having lunch at the homes of Matua and Adivasi communities during his visit to West Bengal.
Hakim, Minister of Urban Development and Municipal Affairs in West Bengal government, has said that Shah is trying to conceal the fact that Dalit and Adivasi girls are raped and burnt in BJP-ruled Uttar Pradesh, hinting at the gang-rape incident and its aftermath in Hathras.
“In Uttar Pradesh girls of Adivasi and Dalit communities are raped and burnt. The families are denied to even perform the last rites. Dalit girls are raped daily in UP and many Adivasis are being tortured regularly in BJP-ruled states,” Hakim was quoted as saying by ABP Ananda.
“Amit Shah is trying to hide all these with his drama. Not Matua, not Adivasi, BJP isn’t there with anyone,” the Chairman of Board of Administrators, Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) added.
Hakim also highlighted the welfare schemes and development done by the Mamata Banerjee-led government for the marginalised communities in West Bengal.
“Mamata Banerjee has developed the house of Matua matriarch Boro Ma. Mamata Banerjee has created the Matua board. Mamata Banerjee has created university for them. Thus, it’s not possible that Amit Shah will come and only have lunch and Matuas will forget everything,” Hakim said.
Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday announced distribution of 1.25 lakh land pattas to people settling in refugee colonies and setting up development boards for Matua and Adivasi communities for their socio-economic development.
Handing over land pattas to refugees will establish their proof of residence along with ration cards as a counter to BJP’s effort to win them over with citizenship award.
Running up to the much-important Bengal Assembly Elections next year, both the Trinamool Congress (TMC) and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) have made special efforts to woo the Matua voters, who are believed to be 3 crores in number in a state of around 10 crore population.
Matua populace, a Dalit community in Bengal, were often considered close to Banerjee ever since she became the CM. However, the affiliation suffered a blow after BJP made a massive inroads into the Matua community during the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.
Therefore, the Namashudra community has become hot property ahead of the next year’s Assembly Elections. The saffron camp is attempting to consolidate their strength further, while the ruling party is trying to regain the lost ground.