Demand For Cooch Behar Statehood: GCPA's Rail Roko Disrupts Train Services

GCPA president said despite the constitutional recognition of Coochbihar as a G-Category state, the Centre is unwilling to recognise it for which they are agitating.

Jalpaiguri:Train services to the Northeast were affected as Greater Cooch Behar Peoples Association (GCPA) activists staged a 'Rail Roko' agitation in Jorai Station here demanding statehood for Coochbihar.

Several trains were cancelled, including New Jalpaiguri-Guwahati Vande Bharat (22227), Guwahati-New Jaipaiguri Vande Bharat (22228), Bongaigaon-New Jalpaiguri Express (15704) and New Jalpaiguri-Bongaigaon Express (15703), Kapinjal Sharma, public relations officer of the Northeast Frontier Railways, said. The affected passengers were ferried in buses from New Alipurduar Station.

Brahmaputra Mail (15657) and Kamrup Express have been rerouted through Gokulganj while down Rajdhani Express (20503), down Guwahati-New Delhi Express (22449), Bibek Express (22503), and Kamakhya-Rajindranagar Capital Express )13247) have been detoured.

About 5,000 GCPA activists sat in agitation in the Jorai station at 8 am where RPF and CRPF personnel have been deployed.

GCPA president Banshibadan Barman said, "We have started Rail Roko. Many of our supporters came from different districts of North Bengal. The Constitution states Cooch Behar as a G-Category state. But the Centre is still reluctant to recognise it. We demand a separate statehood for Cooch Behar and the inclusion of Raj Banshi in the Eighth Schedule. Our Rail Roko agitation will continue till our demands are met.

Earlier a Rail Roko was staged in the New Cooch Behar Railway station leading to several trains being rerouted through New Alipurduar. But this time this arrangement could not be made.

This time, the GCPA ensured a complete disruption of rail connectivity between Bengal and Assam by agitating at the station bordering Assam.