Union Home Minister Amit Shah, on February 11, 2021, announced a host of welfare initiatives for the Koch-Rajbongshi community primarily inhabiting the northern regions of Bengal, Assam and Meghalaya.
- Mr. Shah also announced setting up of the “Narayani Sena” battalion in the para-military forces. The Narayani Sena were the armed troops of the erstwhile princely state of Cooch Behar. This had been an emotive issue for the Rajbongshi community which had time and again demanded that there be a ‘Narayani Sena’ regiment in the India Army.
- He also announced setting up of a Rajbongshi Cultural Institute and a memorial in the name of Panchanan Verma-a reformist Rajbongshi leader.
- As per the 2001 Census, the Rajbongshi language is spoken by nearly 1 crore people across North Bengal regions like Cooch Behar, Jalpaiguri, Darjeeling, Malda and Murshidabad, apart from the neighbouring States of Assam and Bihar.
- Rajbongshi are a community that traces its roots to the Kamata kingdom, which comprised parts of Assam, West Bengal and adjoining territories.
- In the medieval period, the community was dominant and ruled their territory of Kamatapur, which comprised a large part of Bangladesh, West Bengal, Bihar and India’s north-east.
- After Independence, the princely state of Cooch Behar merged with West Bengal. Now, Koch Rajbongshis are found in Assam, Meghalaya, West Bengal and Bihar, and in Bangladesh, Nepal and some parts of Bhutan.
