Matua factions clash over jr Union min’s voter deletion remark, 12 hurt
Times of India | 25 December 2025
Kolkata: Twelve members of the All India Matua Mahasangh (AIMM) faction loyal to Trinamool were injured on Wednesday after being assaulted by a rival faction, allegedly backed by BJP, in Bongaon's Thakurbari during a protest against a comment by junior Union minister Shantanu Thakur.
Members of the faction loyal to Trinamool MP Mamata Bala Thakur said they were beaten up when they went to Shantanu's house to protest his remark that the deletion of the names of 1 lakh Matuas from the electoral roll, following the special intensive revision, was acceptable if that ensured the exclusion of 50 lakh infiltrators from the list.
A large police contingent, including RAF and Combat Force personnel, were deployed at Thakurbari, the nerve centre of the Matua community, to restore order.
Among the injured was Nantu Gosai, president of AIMM-affiliated Gosai Parishad and a prominent figure of the Matua faction aligned with Mamata Bala. He was repeatedly kicked and punched. The injured were taken to Bongaon Jiban Ratan Dhar Sub-Divisional Hospital. Gosai, who suffered injuries to his head, chest and waist, is in ICU.
Members of the Mamata Bala faction lodged an FIR with Gaighata police station against five persons who they said are loyal to Shantanu.
"Despite being informed about our protest rally, which was announced yesterday at a press conference, police made no security arrangements at Thakurbari," Sukesh Chowdhury, general secretary of the AIMM faction led by Mamata Bala, told TOI.
"Even after arriving at the spot, they stood as mute spectators and did not act against the BJP netas responsible for the violence. If those named in the FIR are not arrested within 72 hours, we will launch a larger movement. We will block Jessore Road and gherao Gaighata police station," he said.
Shantanu had said at a public meeting in Bagdah on Monday, "If excluding 50 lakh infiltrators means that 1 lakh people from my community are temporarily deprived of voting rights, which option is more beneficial?" Deletion of 1 lakh Matua names, he had said, would not be a problem "if it helped remove the names of Rohingyas, Bangladeshi Muslims, Pakistani Muslims and infiltrators".
Mamata Bala and the section of AIMM she controls called for a rally at Thakurbari on Wednesday to protest the comment.
A large number of Matuas joined the rally, reflecting widespread anger over the issue within the community.
"We were holding a peaceful rally and wanted to meet the minister to seek clarifications on his statement. Instead, BJP netas and their associates attacked us with sticks and chased us. Several Matuas, including Nantu Gosai and myself, were mercilessly beaten up," Chowdhury said.
Mamata Bala accused BJP of betraying the Matua community. "Our people were given false hopes. Many even paid money for documents, which they were told would help them get Indian citizenship. They are now feeling duped. Shantanu Thakur's remark sparked outrage. His associates attacked our people during the protest," she said.
Shantanu denied the allegations and accused Mamata Bala, his aunt, of misrepresenting his statement.
"I never said 1 lakh Matua names would definitely be deleted. Misinterpreting my words, Mamata Bala's supporters entered Thakurbari with firearms and sticks and tried to attack my house. Matua devotees stopped them," he said. "I only meant that we must cooperate with the govt to drive out those who persecuted us."