The Demand for a Separate State as an Identity
and Existence
THE DEMAND FOR
A SEPRATE STATE AS AN IDENTITY AND EXISTENCE (A STUDY ON THE
MOVEMENT FOR THE GREATER COOCHBEHAR STATE IN NORTH BENGAL)
The historiography of the South Asian countries has been
focusing attention on the question of identity/identities
of certain ethnic communities of the pre-colonial and colonial
period and on the role of feelings and emotions of their struggles
and its variety of objectives from autonomy to secession or
demand for a separate statehood. Over the Bengal along with
a few backward communities of the region (consisting of six
districts of West Bengal) have been fighting for a separate
state namely Kamatapur state. Since October 2005 all of a
sudden these people have again started a new movement for
the cause of Greater Cooch Behar state. The Kamatapur liberation
organization (K.L.O), the Kamatapur progressive (K.P.P), the
greater Coochbehar People’s Association (G.C.P.A) under
the leadership of Banshibadan Barman (who is still imprisoned)
have come together to redress their demands jointly and materialize
their aims and objectives for a separate state named greater
Cooch Behar.
In fact, this particular upsurge along with some other similar
ethnic movements in some parts of India have not only produced
problems and challenging situations of this country but, also
have raised certain central issues concerning the future of
the nation state in India.
The proposed paper is intended to explore the historical
evolution of the movement stated above and at the same time
to highlight the issues and perspectives behind the logic
and legitimacy of the upsurge organized by a this ethnic communities
of North Bengal with special reference to the Rajbanshi community
of this region.
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