Thu Mar 27 22:05:00 UTC 2025: ## BJP Leader Claims Matua Sect Saved Hindus from Conversion Amidst West Bengal Tensions
**Kolkata, March 28, 2025** – West Bengal’s Leader of Opposition and BJP state president, Suvendu Adhikari, visited the Matua community’s annual festival on Thursday, March 27, 2025, seeking their support. He credited the sect with preventing the conversion of millions of Hindus to Islam. His visit comes amid heightened political tensions following alleged attacks on his convoy earlier this month.
Adhikari, while addressing the Matua community in Thakurnagar, praised the sect’s founders, Harichand and Guruchand Thakur, for their role in preserving the Hindu faith. He also invoked the controversial term “vote jihad,” a claim often used by BJP leaders to allege a conspiracy to manipulate elections through religious conversions.
The Matua sect, primarily comprised of Dalits, has a significant presence in West Bengal and its members are divided in their political allegiances, with some supporting the BJP and others the ruling Trinamool Congress. This division was highlighted by BJP MLA Ashim Sarkar’s gesture of touching the feet of Mamatbala Thakur, a former Trinamool MP and member of the Matua family.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi also extended greetings to the Matua community, highlighting government initiatives for their welfare.
Later, Adhikari addressed a rally in Baruipur, where he protested against the attacks on BJP supporters in the state. He alluded to potential retaliation, stating that “Every action has a reaction.” The rally followed a court-permitted protest at the Baruipur Superintendent of Police’s office in response to the earlier attacks on his convoy. The BJP’s actions reflect growing tensions and the ongoing political battles in West Bengal.
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