Matua matriarch Binapani Devi ‘extremely critical’

Kolkata, March 5 (IANS) Matua community matriarch Binapani Devi, popularly known as 'Boroma', was on Tuesday put on ventilator support at the state-run SSKM Hospital here after her condition became "extremely critical", hospital authorities said.

She was initially admitted to JNM Hospital in Nadia district's Kalyani on February 28 following shortness of breath and fever. Boroma was shifted to the SSKM on Sunday after her condition deteriorated.

"Boroma's condition is extremely critical. She has been put to ventilation since 5 a.m. today. She is suffering from multi-organ failure," Raghunath Misra, Medical Superintendent of SSKM Hospital told IANS.

"She was suffering from high fever when she was brought here on Sunday which later turned into pneumonia. She already had pre-existing problems like COPD and mild diabetes.

"As her age is more than 100 years, multiple organs are failing. The overall condition is very grave," he said.

Matua Mahasangh, a primarily low-caste Hindu refugee community from Bangladesh, are considered to be Bengal's second most influential Scheduled Caste community.

The community commands over 70 lakh votes in various southern districts and plays a sizeable role in determining the electoral fortunes in at least 74 of the state's 294 Assembly seats.

The Matuas, led by Boroma who shares a good rapport with Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, acted as a big political force behind the Trinamool Congress' win in the 2011 and 2016 Assembly elections.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi also met her on February 2 during his visit to North 24 Parganas district's Thakurnagar.