West Bengal LoP Suvendu Adhikari expresses concern over situation of Matuas and Sanatanis in Bangladesh

Leader of Opposition in West Bengal Assembly, Suvendu Adhikari, on Friday expressed concerns over Matuas and Sanatanis in Bangladesh, who are allegedly attacked and tortured.

Adhikari, with other MLAs, reached Bangladesh High Commission, to express his concern and informed the Bangladesh High Commissioner about the matter.

Adhikari also said that he has met Bangladesh High Commission, voicing about the torture on the Matua and other Sanatani Vaishnavites in several villages in Bengladesh.


“I am not concerned about the internal issues and situation of Bangladesh. I care about the Matua community and the Sanatanis who are tortured there. Many of them are relatives of people who are in India. We have genuine concern about them,” Adhikari said.

Matuas were a major vote bank for Left Front, then Trinamool and now BJP. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had promised in Matua headquarter Thakurnagar that CAA will be implemented.

The community, with more than one crore voters in the state, is spread over Nadia, Coochebehar, North and South 24 Parganas districts bordering Bangladesh.

Meanwhile, Adhikari also urged the Election Commission to conduct West Bengal Assembly elections 2026 separately and not to club it with other states, alleging about the existence environment of “terror" created by the ruling Trinamool Congress.

Adhikari said that miscreants had attacked several BJP workers and supporters while they were heading towards Prime Minister Narendra Modi's rally in Alipurduar on Thursday. Incidentally,

Trinamool goons allegedly vandalised 34 vehicles and injured 22 BJP workers stopping them from reaching the PM's rally, Adhikari claimed. Several buses were vandalized and front glasses broken.

"The language used by Trinamool leaders against the Prime Minister is unacceptable and undemocratic. Under such circumstances, it is difficult to conduct free and fair elections in West Bengal," Adhikari said. He requested the EC not to club the state's polls with Assam, Bihar or Kerala.

West Bengal is scheduled to go to the polls in 2026. In the last 2021 assembly polls, though BJP had set a target of more than 200 seats, the saffron party got 77 seats.

Adhiakri criticized the state government over rising electricity tariffs and water meters installed at various locations.