Lok Sabha polls 2024: Rajbanshi vote key factor in North Bengal

Gosanimari: In the run up to the Lok Sabha polls in north Bengal, BJP and Trinamool Congress have left no stone unturned to woo the Rajbanshi voters for romping home, but a central piece of the community’s history is buried underground with the locals complaining about the parties not doing enough to dig out the past.

Around 22 kilometres from Cooch Behar town lies the ruins of what the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) describes as the “central citadel of the fortified city of Kamtapur” – a 14th-15th century kingdom ruled by “Khen” and “Koch” dynasties from which the modern day Rajbanshis have evolved.

The Rajbanshis are the single largest scheduled caste group in West Bengal comprising more than 18% of the state’s 21.4 million SC population as per the 2011 census.

They can influence the electoral outcomes in 20 Assembly segments in five districts of north Bengal including Cooch Behar and Alipurduars that will go to the polls on April 19. Campaigning ends at both places and Jalpaiguri on Wednesday.

Cooch Behar’s sitting MP Nisith Pramanik – a prominent Rajbanshi face and the youngest member of the Narendra Modi’s council of ministers - won convincingly last time, thanks to the Rajbanshi vote, but the community’s support for the saffron party may be shrinking this time.

The reasons include unfulfilled promises ranging from having a “Narayani Sena” regiment in the Indian Army and bringing the Rajbanshi language in the Eighth Schedule to erecting the statues of Chilarai a legendary commander of the Koch dynasty and Panchanan Verma, a celebrated Rajbanshi leader and social reformer.

Another popular demand of converting Cooch Behar into a separate state or Union Territory was nipped in the bud by the Union Home Minister Amit Shah, who said the Centre won’t accede to any such demand.

West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee also said she would also oppose any such proposal of dividing the state.

Banerjee claimed she did a lot for the community such as establishing Panchanan Barma University, Rajbanshi Bhasha Academy and Rajbanshi Development and Cultural Board; erecting a statue of Chilarai, setting up of 200 Rajbanshi primary schools, giving recognition to the language, raising a Narayani Sena battalion in the West Bengal armed police and giving financial assistance of Rs 1,000 per month to Bhawaiya folk singers.

She also declared Cooch Behar a heritage city because of the area’s rich history starting from Kamtapur kingdom to the erstwhile princely state of Cooch Behar (that derived its name from Koch dynasty) that merged with the independent India after 1947.

“Digging of the Rajbari mound will reveal the ancient fort and this area can attract tourists. The ASI dug twice in 1998-99 and in 1999-2000, but since then no excavation took place,” said Pradeep Jha, a local school teacher who is associated with a citizens’ group.

Two decades ago, the ASI in its report had stated that the excavation “pushed back the antiquity of the site by about 500 years” contrary to the known history and tradition of the area. “But since then it has been forgotten even as the parties court the Rajbanshi community for votes,” noted Jha.