Cooch Behar: A faction of the Greater Cooch Behar Peoples’ Association (GCPA) led by Bangshibadan Barman renewed its demand for the Greater Cooch Behar state on Tuesday.

Led by Barman, GCPA leaders and supporters held a rally in Cooch Behar district, demanding the creation of a new state according to the merger agreement of 1949.

“We organised the Rajbanshi Jagaran Yatra on our principal demand for a separate state. The Centre should implement the treaty signed between the Government of India and the then royals of Cooch Behar in 1949 where it was decided that Cooch Behar, which was a princely state, would merge with India and be recognised as a ‘C’ category state. It, however, has been reduced to a district in Bengal,” said Barman.

On Tuesday morning, Barman and his supporters assembled at Kamteshwar Rajargarh or Rajpat Mound in Gosanimari, Dinhata. From there, around 10.30am, they headed to Cooch Behar town, 22km away.

The march reached the palace gates in Cooch Behar in the evening.

“We will continue to strive for our demand. The central government cannot ignore it,” said Barman.

A political observer said it would be interesting to see how the BJP handles the situation. "As the polls are ahead, the issue is again warming up. Surprisingly, Bangshibadan Barman has suddenly become overt on the issue, despite occupying a post provided by the Mamata Banerjee government that is principally against any further division of Bengal,” he said.

Barman chairs the Rajbanshi Development and Cultural Board and Rajbanshi Bhasha Academy, both formed by the state government.

Over the past few weeks, several political parties and organisations based in north Bengal have started raising the statehood demand. Some of these outfits have demanded that the Narendra Modi government in the Centre decide on the issue at the upcoming winter session of the Parliament.

On Monday, the United Forum for Separate State, an apex body of such organisations, claimed that if the BJP didn't meet their demand, they might think of fielding candidates in all eight Lok Sabha seats of north Bengal.

Last week, Bimal Gurung, the president of Gorkha Janmukti Morcha, in Kalimpong said they would work to influence all eight Lok Sabha seats in the region ahead of the general election.

In 2019, the BJP won seven of eight Lok Sabha seats in north Bengal with big support from the Rajbanshis, the Gorkhas and the tribals.