GCPA demands for separate Cooch Behar state

Cooch Behar, July 19: The Greater Cooch Behar Peoples' Association has served an ultimatum demanding separate Cooch Behar state by August 15 or else movement for new state would be intensfied in this remote parts of West Bengal, bordering Assam.

The GCPA announced this at an open rally at Shahid Bagh here yesterday where over 50,000 followers chanted slogans in chorus demanding separate state for Rajbanshi community of North Bengal.

A delegation of GCPA submitted memoranda to President APJ Abdul Kalam, Prime Minister Monmohan Singh and the Union Home Minister demanding formation of a ministry udner the government of Greater Cooch Behar state by August 15.

The memoranda addressed to the Central leaders were handed over to district Magistrate Rajesh Sinha, who assured to dispatch those demands accordingly.

GCPA convenor Sujit Burman said "our demand is the Centre should respect the agreement of amalgamation of Cooch Behar into India in 1949 and forming the ministry of Greater Cooch Behar state by August 15."

UNI