Gen. sec. Greater Cooch Behar People’s Association
Nalini Kanto Burman is here to stay. His face does not show
even the remotest signs of fatigue. That is what sets him apart from other protesters who look drawn out and fatigued. He agrees with the ways of both Mahatma Gandhi as well as Subhash Chandra Bose. For him, there is no conflict of interest there. But in practice, he follows the non-violent ways of Gandhi. Satyagraha is his tool. For more than three years now, he has been fighting a battle for the separate statehood of Cooch Behar, comprising nine districts of Assam and West Bengal. The place where he has set his temporary abode is on the low-lying part of the footpath which gets water logged from time to time. Those nights, he has no option but to remain awake.
The association maintains that Cooch Behar was a separate state before independence. It was called Prayagjyotishpur then. In the 12th century, it finds mention by the name of Kamtapur. It was promised that it will be given separate statehood post independence. However, that promise was never kept. The association now wants five districts of Bengal and four from Assam to be merged to form the state. Nalini says, “Our culture is separate from those of ordinary Bengalis and Assamese. This will also catalyse development in the backward area.” It is a relief for the government that at least one group in the northeast does not want statehood by means of bloodshed.
Nalini Kanto Burman is here to stay. His face does not show
even the remotest signs of fatigue. That is what sets him apart from other protesters who look drawn out and fatigued. He agrees with the ways of both Mahatma Gandhi as well as Subhash Chandra Bose. For him, there is no conflict of interest there. But in practice, he follows the non-violent ways of Gandhi. Satyagraha is his tool. For more than three years now, he has been fighting a battle for the separate statehood of Cooch Behar, comprising nine districts of Assam and West Bengal. The place where he has set his temporary abode is on the low-lying part of the footpath which gets water logged from time to time. Those nights, he has no option but to remain awake.The association maintains that Cooch Behar was a separate state before independence. It was called Prayagjyotishpur then. In the 12th century, it finds mention by the name of Kamtapur. It was promised that it will be given separate statehood post independence. However, that promise was never kept. The association now wants five districts of Bengal and four from Assam to be merged to form the state. Nalini says, “Our culture is separate from those of ordinary Bengalis and Assamese. This will also catalyse development in the backward area.” It is a relief for the government that at least one group in the northeast does not want statehood by means of bloodshed.
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