No entry in Assam : GCDP rally returns

 

COOCH BEHAR, Jan. 23: The bicycle rally of Greater Cooch Behar Democratic Party (GCDP) that was organised yesterday had to come back from the Assam-West Bengal border near Baxirhat last evening. When the long rally of GCDP supporters arrived at the border near Baxirhat in Tufanganj and tried to proceed towards Golokganj in Assam a large contingent of Assam Police resisted them.

 

GCDP president and also the general secretary of Greater Kamta United Forum (GKUF), Mr Ashutosh Barma said senior administrative and police officials of Assam came up at the border and requested them to go back. As there is a statewide prohibitory order by proclaiming Section 144 in Assam the officials told them that they couldn't extend adequate security coverage for the cyclists. Considering the situation the GCDP supporters held a meeting there and then came back peacefully, Mr Barma said.

 

It may be mentioned here that the GCDP organised yesterday's bicycle rally programme following a decision of the GKUF to highlight their demand for proper implementation of the merger agreement that was accorded between the then Maharaja of Cooch Behar and Government of India in 1949, formation of a separate state and recognition of their mother tongue. []

 

Hindi questions demanded for Hindi medium students

 

COOCH BEHAR, Jan. 23: Hindi Bhasa Prasar Samity, Pashchim Bangal, raised demands for introduction of question papers in Hindi for the Hindi-speaking students of the state from the next Madhyamik and Higher Secondary examinations. The students of Hindi medium schools have to answer questions set in Bengali or English in the examinations of Madhyamik and Higher Secondary boards and this deprives the Hindi-speaking students of actual test of their merits.

 

HBPS sources claimed that at present more than one-lakh Hindi speaking candidates appear every year in Madhyamik and Higher Secondary examinations in this state. In Cooch Behar district the Hindi speaking population is about fifteen percent of the total population. There are only three high schools and nine primary schools for them. In the five sub-divisions of this district the high schools are in Cooch Behar, Dinhata and Mathabhanga. The total number of students of these schools is about ten thousand, HBPS sources said.

 

Convener of the Hindi Bhasa Prasar Samity, Pashchim Bangal and also the secretary of Cooch Behar Sree Hindi Vidyalaya, Mr Rajendra Kumar Baid said they submitted memorandums to the chief minister Mr Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee and school education minister Mr Partha Dey several times to set up twenty Higher Secondary and sixty primary schools in Cooch Behar for the benefit of the Hindi speaking students of this district but no steps were taken yet.

 

Introduction of question papers also needed but the government did nothing. It should be considered as a fundamental right for the Hindi-speaking students to get questions in Hindi. The presence of Kendriya Vidyalaya and Army School is a relief to some extent but these schools are meant for the students of families from high society. Commoners have no such facility to avail and so the government should introduce Hindi questions in the Hindi medium schools to help the Hindi speaking students, Mr Baid argued. []