Nearly three weeks before five Dalits entered a Shiva temple at Purba Bardhaman district under police protection, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee made a statement about her caste in the State Assembly that largely went unnoticed. On February 18, while participating in a debate in the Assembly, she emphasised that she was not only a “proud Hindu, but also the daughter of a Brahmin family”.
The emphasis that the Trinamool Congress chairperson placed on her caste assumes significance in the wake of recent developments. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leadership has been urging all Hindus to unite against the Trinamool before the 2026 Assembly elections. The party has coined a new slogan, “Hindu Hindu bhai bhai, 2026 BJP Chai (All Hindus must unite: In 2026 we want BJP)”.
The Leader of the Opposition, Suvendu Adhikari, who has been emphasising the unity of all Hindus irrespective of caste, has repeatedly said that if the BJP manages to secure 5% more Hindu votes, it would win the 2026 Assembly polls. Mr. Adhikari and other State BJP leaders have been reaching out to upper caste Hindus describing them as ‘Sanatani’ (those who follow the eternal Dharma) and alleging attacks on their culture because of the Trinamool’s tilt towards its minority vote bank. But they are also leaving no stone unturned to reach out to Dalits, particularly Matuas.
On March 27, for instance, Mr. Adhikari walked on foot to the headquarters of the Matua sect at Thakurnagar in North 24 Parganas for the annual festival of the sect. He hailed the founding fathers of the Matua sect for “saving Hindus from being converted to Islam”.
Ms. Banerjee has so far countered the Hindutva push of the BJP by claiming to be a “proud Hindu”, organising Durga Pujas, and restoring and constructing temples. But she doesn’t perceive this as being sufficient given that she has finally taken refuge in her caste to prevent any further polarisation of Hindu votes towards the BJP. This is why for the first time Ms. Banerjee has emphasised that though she champions the cause of minorities and Dalits, she hails from a Brahmin family, whose members organise pujas at home. Mr. Adhikari, who, like the Chief Minister, belongs to an upper caste and wears his caste identity on his sleeve, insists that “he will first say that he is Sanatani Hindu and then refer to his caste”. Despite the State’s population comprising 23.5% Scheduled Castes, 16% Other Backward Classes, 5.8% Scheduled Tribes, and 27% minorities, all the Chief Ministers of the State and the majority of the Cabinet ministers have come from upper castes.
This flaunting of caste identity is new to West Bengal politics. Speaking about one’s caste was not considered to be politically prudent until a few years ago. This public taboo against speaking about caste has led to the utopian idea of ‘castelessness’ in West Bengal. With the Bengali Hindu Bhadralok, who mostly comprise three traditional upper castes — Brahmin, Kayastha, and Baidya — dominating popular culture, arts, and literature in the State, a section of the urban elite has deluded itself into believing that caste is not a reality. Decades of Communist rule in the State also made the people believe that inequality stems from class and not caste.
However, things started changing with groups such as the Matuas in south Bengal, Rajbanshis in north Bengal, and Kurmis in the Jangalmahal region affirming their caste identity. These marginalised groups, which are demanding a greater say in political decision-making, have redrawn the discussions on caste in the State.
Within 10 days after the incident at the temple in Purba Bardhaman, the Calcutta High Court on March 21 had to intervene in a similar situation, where Dalits were not allowed inside a temple premises. Justice Tirthankar Ghosh ordered the district judge of Nadia to direct the Superintendent of Police to deploy sufficient number of police personnel to ensure that a group of Dalits, who had approached the Court, be allowed inside a temple for some rituals.
Therefore, neither the Chief Minister’s emphasis on her caste nor the incident at the temple are isolated incidents that can be brushed under the carpet. From a society that hesitated to acknowledge the presence of caste, West Bengal is witnessing a new phenomenon where caste is increasingly becoming crucial to people’s identity and the State’s politics.
Published – April 08, 2025 01:54 am IST
