A bitter feud within the influential Thakur family of the Matua community has erupted into the open, exposing cracks in the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in West Bengal and raising speculation about shifting political allegiances.
The row centres on a Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) assistance camp being run inside the historic Nat Mandir (temple hall) at Thakurnagar, the seat of the Matua sect. The initiative, spearheaded by BJP MP and Union Minister Shantanu Thakur, offers refugees from Bangladesh help in filing CAA applications – a politically sensitive issue ahead of elections.
But Shantanu’s cousin, Subrata Thakur, BJP MLA from Gaighata and also head of the All India Matua Mahasangh, has publicly opposed the move. He questioned why a religious space was being used for political purposes. “The Nat Mandir is meant for devotees, not for political camps,” Subrata said, accusing his younger brother of monopolising power within the sect.
The clash escalated on Saturday after Shantanu organised a special camp at the temple. Subrata objected, alleging that the sanctity of the site was being compromised, while Shantanu countered that the camp was serving devotees by helping them access their CAA rights. “No political activity is being done. We are only ensuring devotees face no difficulty in applying,” the minister said.
The dispute has split the family. Subrata’s mother, Shibirani Thakur, and aunt Mamata Bala Thakur, a Trinamool Congress MP, have backed him, accusing Shantanu of using the temple for partisan gains. Mamata Bala confirmed she had held talks with Subrata, though she insisted the discussions were limited to the temple and devotees’ concerns, not politics.
On the other side, the family patriarch, former state minister Manjul Krishna Thakur, came out in defence of his younger son Shantanu, saying he himself had authorised the camp as chief sevayat (caretaker) of the sect. “Differences should have been resolved within the family. Bringing outsiders and the Trinamool into the matter is unacceptable,” he said, criticising Subrata and his mother.
The BJP MLA, however, dismissed accusations of defecting to the Trinamool. “Family comes first, politics later. I only spoke to my mother, aunt and sister regarding the Nat Mandir. It was about the devotees’ convenience,” Subrata told reporters.
Shantanu, meanwhile, alleged that his elder brother was “looking for an excuse to join the Trinamool Congress” with ambitions of becoming a minister.
The Matua community, numbering several million in Bengal, is seen as a decisive voting bloc, particularly in North 24 Parganas and Nadia districts. With many members tracing roots to erstwhile East Pakistan, the promise of citizenship under the CAA has been a major BJP plank.
Analysts say the public spat highlights the fragility of BJP’s hold over the Matua vote bank and could weaken its prospects if the family feud deepens further.
