GKUF's 72-hour bandh plan in North Bengal and Assam

 

COOCH BEHAR, Dec. 25: In a bid to intensify their movement for a separate state and recognition of mother tongue the Greater Kamta United Forum (GKUF) has decided to call a 72-hour bandh in the territory of the proposed Greater Kamtapur State comprising of eleven districts of Assam and six districts of North Bengal. The proposed bandh is to start on 31 March.

 

The decision was adopted at the meeting of the 9-member policy making committee of GKUF that was held at Golokganj in Assam yesterday. Mentionworthy, GKUF is a joint platform of Kamtapur Progressive Party (KPP), Greater Cooch Behar Democratic Party (GCDP) and All Assam Koch Rajbonshi Students' Union (AAKRASU).

 

Declaring the movement plan the general secretary of GKUF and also the president of GCDP, Mr Ashutosh Barma said today that on 1 January they would observe the day as Black Day. On that day in 1950 the erstwhile princely state of Cooch Behar was merged with India as a district only. The then chief minister of West Bengal had chalked out the plan to include Cooch Behar as a mere district. "We are not ready to consider Cooch Behar as a district only and so we will stage protest on that day", Mr Barma said.

 

Some other plans of movement were also decided in the GKUF's policy-making committee yesterday. It will organise a bicycle rally from Narayanpur of Lakhimpur district in Assam to Raiganj in North Bengal on 15 January. With that programme they will highlight their demand for a separate state and recognition of their mother tongue.

 

On 4 January the GKUP supporters will observe Rail Roko programme and from 3 March they will organise a dharna (sit-in) at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi, Mr Barma said. On 15 April they are to organise a central rally at Maynaguri, the GKUF leader added. []