Kamtapur Movement In Bengal

Book Code: 1111016990985

Rana Sonia Tez Bahadur

ABOUT THE BOOK

The Kamtapur Movement in Coochbehar district of West Bengal constitutes the focal point of the book. It provides historical account of the Kamtapur movement looking into the causes for its emergence as well as analyses the identity formation of the Koch Rajbangsi ethnic community. It further attempts to study the Movement within the conceptual framework of Ethnicity and examines the concept of differentiated citizenship and heterogeneous public culture. The idea of special rights for the ethnic minorities as a mechanism to ensure preservation of their distinct identity is also analysed. In the current political scenario in Bengal which will only get more active as the assembly polls draw closer there is a renewed focus on the role of ethnicity into the political battles of Bengal. The book as such provides an insight into the latest developments in the Kamtapur movement in view of the changing political dynamics of Bengal politics.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Dr. Rana Sonia Tez Bahadur is is author of the book 'Gorkha Identity in Multicultural Bengal' published in the year 2018. Born in Darjeeling district of West Bengal, she completed her schooling in Nagpur, Maharashtra and went on to pursue her PhD from Assam University. She is a gold medallist and recipient of Santibala Devi Memorial Award in political science. She is UGC NET qualified and has been an assistant professor at Dayalbagh Educational Institute (Deemed University), Agra where she taught political science from 2012 to 2017. She is currently an ICSSR Post Doctoral Fellow (2019-2021) researching the 'Democracy and Nationalism in Bhutan: Challenges and Prospects'.

CONTENTS

Foreword ............................................................................................... 9

Preface ................................................................................................. 11

Acknowledgement ................................................................................ 13

I. Ethnicity and Autonomy ....................................................................... 15

Ethnicity: Meaning and Features-Attributes of Ethnic Group-Approaches to Ethnicity-Meaning of Autonomy-Ethno-Autonomy Movements: Causes andState Response.

II. Cultural Diversity and Minority Rights: A Theoretical Study .............. 35

Liberalism and Collective Community Rights- Chandran Kukathas- Michael Walzer- Arendt Lijphart- Allen Buchanan- Avishai Margalit and Joseph RazJeremy Waldran- Seyla Benhabib- Western Approaches to Cultural Diversity: Limitations

III. Identity Formation of the Koch Rajbongshi ......................................... 59

Traces of the Koch Rajbongshi in the Pre Colonial Period- Geneological Table of Koch Rulers- Conflict on the Confluence of Koch- Rajbongshi IdentityRajbongshi Movement for the Kshatriya Identity- Social Context of Kshatriya Movement by the Rajbongshis- Political Context Of Kshatriya Movement by the Rajbongshis- Kshatriya Samiti- Impact of Kshatrization Movement on the Identity of Rajbongshis- Protective Discrimination and Consequential Construction of Rajbongshi Social Identity- Retraction to the KochRajbongshi Identity- Formation of the Rajbongshi Social Identity as a Nationality- Identity Formation of the Koch Rajbongshi—An Erratic Trajectory

IV. Kamtapur Movement: Growth and Development ................................. 79

Hitasadhani Sabha- Uttarakhand Movement- Uttarbanga Tapsili Jati/Upjati Sangathan- Kamtapur Peoples Party- Aims of the KPP- Eleven Point Demand of KPP- Points of Justification for the Demands of KPP- Organisational Structures And Leadership of KPP- Activities of the KPP- Split of KamtapurKamtapur Liberation Organisation- KLO-ULFA Nexus- Operation Flush OutGreater Cooch Behar Peoples Association- Demands of the Greater Cooch Behar Movement- Activities of Greater Cooch Behar Peoples AssociationGreater Cooch Behar Democratic Party- Greater Kamta United Forum

V. Kamtapur Movement and Cultural Diversity in West Bengal: Challenges Ahead ......................................................... 101

Princely State of Cooch Behar: A Brief History-Cooch Behar’s Merger with Independent India-Cooch Behar in Early Independence India-Cultural Diversity in West Bengal: Threat from Within and Outside-Vernacular Identity Politics and Rajbongshis in West Bengal-Kamtapur Movement and State Apathy-Kamtapur Movement: Saga of Reviving the past Ethnic Glory

VI. Conclusion ......................................................................................... 125

Select Bibliography ............................................................................ 133

Annexures .......................................................................................... 137

Index .................................................................................................. 151