TMC Rajbanshi setback Atul Roy quits Academy to join BJP yatra

TT, Jalpaiguri: The president of a political party that has some clout among the Rajbanshi population of north Bengal stepped down from an official post provided by the Mamata Banerjee government and announced that he and his party would join hands with the BJP. 

Atul Roy, the Kamtapur Progressive Party (KPP) president who was the vice-chairman of Kamtapuri Bhasa Academy formed last year, resigned from the academy, alleging that no major work has been done for the Kamtapuri language in the past year.

"After the academy was formed, we had hopes that from the academic year of 2019, Kamtapuri language would be introduced as a medium of instruction in primary schools. However, no such initiative was taken by the state. We are answerable to people and as I was the vicechairman, people have started asking me questions. That is why I have decided to step down from the post," said Roy. 

On Wednesday, Roy met Surya Banerjee, the district information & cultural officer of Jalpaiguri who is ex-officio member-secretary of the academy, and submitted his resignation.

Later, taking to the media, the KPP leader said that couple of days back, he has met central BJP leaders in Delhi.

"The BJP leaders have assured that they would take steps for constitutional recognition of Kamtapuri language. I will be there at the public meeting of Amit Shah in Cooch Behar (on December 7) where he would also make some announcements in this regard," he said.

In 2014, the KPP president had backed BJP in the parliamentary polls. But in 2016, he joined Trinamul as an ally.

In September 2017, Mamata Banerjee announced that the academy would be constituted for conservation of the language and on February this year, its office was opened in Jalpaiguri Wednesday's decision has Atul Roy. (Biplab Basak) come as a setback for Trinamul.

According to observers, the chief minister had announced formation of a development and welfare board for Rajbanshis and also constituted two academies, one for Rajbanshi and another for Kamtapuri language. She also chose Atul Roy and Bangshibadan Burman (a leader of Greater Cooch Behar Peoples' Association or GCPA) for prominent posts in these bodies.

"The KPP and the GCPA demand statehood and recognition of their languages. By bringing two top leaders of these organisations in the academies and in the board, the chief minister had tried to send a message that her government is sincere in meeting their other demands, barring statehood," said an observer.

However, Atul's sudden decision to walkout of the academy and join BJP as an ally is a fresh poser for Trinamul in north Bengal, particularly in districts like Jalpaiguri, Darjeeling, North Dinajpur, Malda and in Siliguri sub-division where has support base.

Trinamul leaders however, appeared unperturbed.

"Atul Roy has made the decision for his personal interests. He has ditched the Kamtapuri population but cannot do much by joining hands with BJP," said Sourav Chakraborty, the district Trinamul chief of Jalpaiguri.