Separate Cooch Behar next?

After remaining silent over the issue for more than five years,nearly 10,000 members of GCPA began an indefinite hunger strike at the district headquarter on July 18 to coincide with the signing of the tripartite agreement between Bengal government,Centre and Gorkha Janmukti Morcha that paved the way for setting up of an autonomous council for the Hills.

The movement almost lost steam in the last five years after most of its prominent leaders,including Banshibadan Burman and many others were sent behind the bars. Till date,125 people,who were on hunger strike,have been hospitalised. The GCPA is also holding a simultaneous hunger strike with 80 activists at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar.

“We are shocked to see the state and central governments agreeing to setting up of Gorkhaland Territorial Authority. How can they be given autonomy when five districts of north Bengal come under the area of the Greater Cooch Behar state. If they are given the autonomy and still they are not backtracking from their Gorkhaland statehood demand,then why should we remain silent on our demands,” said Namita Burman,general secretary of GCPA.

“We are now peacefully agitating through hunger strike,but if we are not paid attention,we will launch a greater movement,” Burman added.

Significantly,the greater Cooch Behar was a separate state before January 1,1950. In 1949,it was included among the Indian states. Districts like South Dinajpur,North Dinajpur,Darjeeling,Cooch Behar and Goalpara of Assam came under its jurisdiction.

“As per India’s separate statehood act,we want a caretaker administration and we will carry on our hunger strike till the Centre assures us that they will provide us a separate state. We are also ready to give up our lives for this separate statehood movement. Since the last 60 years,we have been deprived of our rights,” added Burman.

Incidentally after the hunger strike began,Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee announced that 52 political prisoners will be released,which included Banshibadan Burman.

Meanwhile,police have been deployed in the area to maintain law and order. “We have not taken any tough action as of now as the agitators are continuing their hunger strike peacefully. At present,every day at least four to five persons who are on hungerstrike are getting hospitalised. Until there is no law and order problem,the administration cannot force them to call off their strike,” said Smaraki Mahapatra,the district magistrate of Cooch Behar. “They have placed their demands for having a separate statehood with a caretaker government and we have forwarded them to Union home ministry,” added Mahapatra.