TMC MP takes the name of Matua Guru during oath, VP Dhankar objects, asks her to take oath again as per the format. Abhishek Banerjee calls it insult to Matua and Bengal

Rajya Sabha oath taking ceremony has turned into a fresh flashpoint between Trinamool Congress and BJP after TMC member elect Mamata Bala Thakur on Wednesday was stopped from taking the name of her God of personal faith by Rajya Sabha chairman Jagdeep Dhankar during the oath reading ceremony. TMC leader Mamata Bala Thakur, who herself belongs to the Matua sect, had taken the name of “Sri Sri Guru Hari Chanda Thakur” in place of God while reading the oath, something that Vice President Dhankar had objected to and had instead she followed the prescribed format without any deviations. Matuas are marginalised Hindus who have migrated from Bangladesh during the 1972 Liberation War and even after that, are a closed sect but with a population strength that has strong presence in at least 60 assembly constituencies in West Bengal. The second largest SC community in West Bengal, the Matuas have traditionally followed their Sect God “Sri Sri Guru Hari Chand Thakur” and very religiously, a fact that can not be unknown to VP Jagdeep Dhaknar after his tenure as the Governor of the State, claims TMC. Trinamool Congress has termed this as an insult to Matuas. Mamata Bala Thakur among all other elected leaders, was the only one who had to read the oath twice at the insistence of Chairman Dhankar. 

“What is the fault of the Matuas. I feel humiliated today. I am a Matua and I was stopped from taking the name of my God during the oath taking ceremony. While others could take the name of their God of personal choice, I was stopped. I had to take the oath twice. This is an insult to our Guru”, said Mamata Bala Thakur on Wednesday in New Delhi after taking her oath as the TMC Rajya Sabha MP. 

Matuas have overwhelming supported the BJP during the 2019 Lok Sabha election over the sentiments of a desired citizenship under Citizenship Amendment Act, as was promised by BJP. The strong vote bank has also been at the heart of a political fight between TMC and BJP, essentially for the 10 Lok Sabha seats reserved for SC in West Bengal. While TMC Supremo Mamata Banerjee has maintained that CAA is a hoax and Matuas living in the state for decades, with all Indian credentials now are already citizens, but has claimed that CAA will be a matter of self respect for Matuas who have been marginalised in Bangladesh and were pushed to leave the country. The ‘Thakur family’, known as the dynast of the “Guru Hari Chand Thakur’, has been politically divided. While Shantanu Thakur is BJP MP, his own sister in law and from the same family, Mamata Bala Thakur is a TMC MP. The divided family has also left the Matua vote bank divided. Mamata Bala Thakur, after taking oath had lashed out at BJP for not being respectful towards their community. She, also received support from her party high command. 

“What Jagdeep Dhankar has done is an outright insult to Bengal. He has been the governor of the state. What he did as a governor was entirely anti-Bengali. And eventually he was rewarded for that and he became the VP of the country. A Matua MP was stopped from taking the name of her God “Sri Sri Guru Hari Chand Thakur” while taking oath and that is unacceptable. Matuas should understand how badly they have been played around by BJP. BJP is anti-Bengal and the sentiments of Matua don’t matter to them”, said Abhishek Banerjee, TMC national general secretary on Wednesday. 

Official statement from Rajya Sabha secretariat is still awaited. The story will be updated as and when the statement is issued.