Development Council announced for Rajbangshis

Mamata in Cooch Behar on Monday. Picture by Main Uddin Chisti

MAIN UDDIN CHISTI, TT, Cooch Behar, April 24: Chief minister Mamata Banerjee today announced a development council for the Rajbangshis and said members of the Cooch Behar royal family would be included in it.

Mamata, who arrived here this afternoon and attended an administrative review meeting, spoke to the descendents of the Cooch Behar royal family after the session.

Later, speaking to newspersons, she said: "We will soon form a Rajbangshi development council. I have told the descendants of the royals to provide us with three-four names from their family. We will suggest the names of the remaining members of the board. We want to constitute it in an appropriate manner so that all development works of the Rajbangshis can be carried out by the body."

Such announcement from the chief minister comes at a time when the BJP has climbed to the second position in the political ladder in Cooch Behar district.

"A section of the Rajbangshi population was aggrieved with the state government and had expressed disappointment, saying the chief minister and the state were more focused in the hills and were not doing anything for them. Keeping an eye on the rural polls, the chief minister has taken the task of addressing their grievances. That is why she had earlier announced that the state will recognise the Rajbangshi language and today, she announced the formation of a development council for the community. Both the demands were made by different associations and parties which are working on issues pertaining to the Rajbangshi population of north Bengal," a political observer said.

The decision, he said, would also help Trinamul retain its support base and prevent the BJP from reaching out to the community.

At the administrative meeting, the chief minister expressed satisfaction over the ongoing development works and implementation of social welfare schemes.

"A number of bridges are under construction in Cooch Behar district. We have set up a university here and two medical colleges are coming up in the district. As far as the airport is concerned, the state had earlier paid Rs 35 crore for its development and we hope by July this year, we will be able to run a nine-seater aircraft from here," she said.