Hyderabad (Telangana): A day before West Bengal goes to the polls in eight phases, PM Narendra Modi is scheduled to land at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport at Dhaka for a two-day trip to take part in official celebrations lined up to commemorate the golden jubilee of the Independence of Bangladesh as well as the birth centenary celebrations of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the founding figure of Bangladesh.
A state visit and that too the first of the PM since the outbreak of the pandemic is significant in itself. It assumes more significance as several unresolved issues between the two nations keep coming up time and again, be it infiltration, be it the trade disparity between the two countries or the vexed Teesta River dispute issue. Obviously, the participation of Bangladesh in China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) is also something, which New Delhi would like to look closely at.
READ: BJP's candidate in West Bengal clueless about which party she represents
But, apart from all these, Modi's March 27 itinerary, on the day when Bengal goes for the first phase of polls, is standing out. And that is because of his planned trips to Dhaka's neighbouring Satkhira and Gopalganj districts. The PM is scheduled to pay his obeisance at the Jessoreshwari Temple in Ishwaripur, a hamlet in Satkhira. And then, he will pay his respects at a temple in Orakandi in Gopalganj district. Jerroreshwar Temple is a well known Hindu shrine in Bangladesh, thronged daily by many, but why Orakandi? What is so special about this place?
Well, Orakandi is the birthplace of Matua community patriarch Harichand Thakur. The same Harichand Thakur, who had migrated to India after partition and is known to have worked for uplifting the untouchables in Bengal. He had founded the Matua sect, a closely-knit Hindu sect belonging to the Namasudra community or Dalits. After Harichand's death, one of his sons, Guruchand Thakur, took over from where his father left and is credited with organising the sect and its people.
READ: Cong manifesto promises to bring back 'glorious' B C Roy days in Bengal
So, why is Modi so inclined to visit the Orakandi temple, the holy site of the Matuas during his second visit of Bangladesh? The answer could well be lying embedded in the over 2.5 crore voters of West Bengal who had over the period migrated from Bangladesh, and out of whom a little over one crore voters belong to the Matua community. And this poll season, the saffron party is heavily banking on them.