Hundreds of supporters of the Kamtapur Peoples’ Party (United) hit the streets of Mathabhanga town in Cooch Behar district on Tuesday with a renewed demand for Kamtapur state.
They took out a rally in the town, and later, a delegation of party leaders met the subdivisional officer and submitted a memorandum of the demand.
In recent months, this is the first time that the KPP(U) raised its old statehood demand.
“The state government lacks sincerity in establishing industrial units in north Bengal. That is why thousands of youths have to migrate in search of jobs. Our party and some other organisations have time and again raised the demand for separate statehood and we want the state and the Centre to act on it,” said Kangsha Raj Barman, the Cooch Behar district president of KPP(U).
After the Assembly elections, the issue of statehood regained ground as along with regional parties, BJP legislators and Union ministers of state like John Barla and Nisith Pramanik have spoken about statehood. Their support seems to have encouraged regional parties, opined political observers.
An observer said since Trinamul came to power, chief minister Mamata Banerjee has taken many steps to address the demands of the Rajbanshis, but Trinamul is principally against any division of Bengal.
KPP(U) leaders, who demonstrated and shouted slogans in front of the SDO’s office, said they had lined up a series of political activities across north Bengal. “The Centre is holding talks on the (Darjeeling) hill issue and the CM is also saying she wants a permanent political solution for the hills. We have waited for years... The party will take up political activities geared around the demand (for Kamtapur state),” Barman added.