Identity politics took the centre-stage of the political arena in north Bengal as two heavyweights of Trinamul and the BJP — Mamata Banerjee and Amit Shah — kicked off campaign for the Assembly elections in the region.
On one hand, Mamata elaborated on the initiatives she had taken for Rajbanshis who form a considerable portion of north Bengal’s population. On the other hand, the Union home minister underscored the BJP’s plans for Rajbanshis, Gorkhas and adivasis.
Altogether, there are 54 Assembly seats in north Bengal and support of the Rajbanshi community determines the results in around half of these segments.
Also, the Gorkhas and adivasis, who predominantly reside in the hills and the foothills, respectively, matter in another 10-odd seats.
Mamata, who addressed public meetings in Dinhata and Tufanganj of Cooch Behar and Falakata of the neighbouring Alipurduar district, was specific about her government’s initiatives for the Rajbanshis. Elections will be held in both the districts on April 10.
“We formed a development board and two language academies for them…. We have also decided to recognise around 200 schools where students are taught in Rajbanshi language. The development board has already built around 1,100 houses for economically weaker people of the community,” said the Trinamul supremo.
Shah, on the other hand, tried to stoke the sentiments of the community — a considerable portion of them had sided with the BJP in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls in seats like Cooch Behar, Alipurduar and Jalpaiguri — by elaborating on his party’s promises.
“Once we are voted to power in the state, we will constitute a development board for north Bengal which will be provided with an annual corpus of Rs 2,000 crores. We will ensure comprehensive infrastructure development across the region, including the Rajbanshi-dominated belts,” he said.
Both the leaders also referred to Panchanan Barma, the most revered statesman and social reformer of the Rajbanshis, and spoke about the Cooch Behar royals.
Mamata said the state government had named the university in Cooch Behar after him, installed his statue at the varsity and was developing a second campus in Mathabhanga where Barma had been born. She also said the government was developing his ancestral house into a museum.
Shah, on the other hand, said the BJP wanted to install another statue of Burma and develop a museum at his name in Cooch Behar.
“We have decided to create a battalion in the name of Narayani Sena (the royal troops) and develop a training centre in the name of Chila Roy (known to be the fiercest fighter of the royal family),” he said.
Mamata said before the Centre came up with an announcement of the battalion, her government had formed a Narayani battalion in the state police which would have its headquarters in Mekhliganj of Cooch Behar.
“We want to know what the (BJP) MPs, who were elected from north Bengal, have done for the region,” she asked.
The Union home minister said the Centre would confer Scheduled Tribe status on 11 hill communities and work for the “permanent political solution”, both of which are long standing demands of the Gorkhas.
“For the tribal population, the central government has taken a number of initiatives, including establishment of Eklavya schools…. We would ensure that they are provided with houses and the daily tea wage is hiked to Rs 350 ,” Shah said.
