The Greater Coochbehar People’s Association (GCPA), a separatist organisation, started a 'rail roko (stop railways)' movement on Wednesday at Jorai station in Cooch Behar district near the Assam-West Bengal border. This resulted in the cancellation of several up-and-down trains, including Vande Bharats.
The GCPA, formed in 1998, seeks a separate 'Greater Cooch Behar' state out of areas presently part of northern regions of West Bengal and some areas falling in lower Assam. The erstwhile king of Koch Bihar princely state merged with India in 1949 and the next year it became part of West Bengal.
However, the GCPA calls the inclusion of the former kingdom into West Bengal illegal. The organisation claims that during the signing of the instrument of accession with India, the former king of Kooch Bihar was promised a separate state.
Apart from its demand for a separate state, this time the GCPA is also seeking recognition of the Rajbanshi language as an eighth scheduled language of the Constitution of India.
Rail Roko Andolan called by the Greater Coochbehar People Association protesting at #Coochbehar Railway station demanding a separate state . pic.twitter.com/aiMO1x2sY0
— Syeda Shabana (@JournoShabana) December 11, 2024
GCPA members began assembling near Jorai station on Tuesday night. By Wednesday morning, hundreds of them marched toward the station. Officials from the Railway Protection Force (RPF) attempted to reason with them that the blockade could lead to legal consequences and also cause problems for general passengers.
The blockade led the Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) to cancel several trains, including the New Jalpaiguri-Guwahati-New Jalpaiguri Vande Bharat Express. Additionally, numerous trains travelling to and from Assam were diverted.
At the Alipurduar division, the NFR arranged buses for facilitating passengers who were affected by the diversion of trains. Passengers were ferried on buses from New Alipurduar to New Cooch Behar Junction.
In 2016, the GCPA staged a rail blockade lasting over 84 hours, severely disrupting train services in the region, which serves as a vital gateway to Northeast India. However, the GCPA had refrained from such drastic actions until Wednesday's blockade.
The GCPA, under the leadership of Bangshi Badan Barman, maintains a complex relationship with the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC). While the organisation indirectly backed the TMC in this year’s Lok Sabha elections, Barman himself holds several positions within the state government.
In November, Trinamool leaders in Cooch Behar alleged that Bangshi Badan Barman, the chairman of the Rajbanshi Bhasha Academy, was involved in extortion. They accused him of collecting money under the guise of appointing teachers in the academy.
