Documents refute CM Banerjee's claims of Assam govt targeting Koch-Rajbongshi voters from Bengal

Kolkata, July 9 (IANS) Some documents of the Assam government have surfaced that are in direct contradiction to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s claims accusing Foreign Tribunals in that north-eastern state of harassing a Koch-Rajbongshi voter from Bengal’s Cooch Behar district, after branding the latter as an illegal infiltrator.

However, after her allegations on Tuesday which she made through a statement on her official X handle, two official documents of the Assam government have surfaced that rule out the possibility of harassment of any Koch-Ranbongshi voter.

In her statement on Tuesday, CM Banerjee also accused the ruling BJP dispensation in Assam of attempting to implement NRC in West Bengal.

The first document is an order from the office of the Assam Governor dated February 4, 2025, which clearly stated that “the requirement of (3) three-generation domicile in Assam shall not apply in respect of the applicants belonging to Koch-Rajbongshi, Moran, Matak, Chulia and Ahom communities in Assam for being considered as Indigenous applicants for getting settlement of land ….”

The second document is an order dated April 11, 2025, from the office of the Secretary to the Home Department of the Assam Government, informing all assistant government pleaders in Foreigners’ Tribunals in Assam that all cases pending against people belonging to the Koch-Rajbongshi community in all Foreigners’ Tribunals in Assam stood withdrawn.

In that order, all assistant government pleaders were directed to take necessary steps for the withdrawal of all such cases pending at such tribunals against any person belonging to the Koch-Rajbongshi community at the earliest.

According to BJP’s General Secretary in West Bengal Jagannath Chattopadhyay, such blatant falsehood spread on imaginary harassment of Koch-Rajbongshi community people was a reflection of the fears of Mamata Banerjee.

“When already the Assam government had clarified its stand in the matter by issuing official notification, such allegations raised by the Chief Minister were baseless. Fear of defeat has gripped Trinamool Congress," Chattopadhyay said.

Last month, the Chief Minister also questioned the fresh electoral roll revision guidelines issued by the Election Commission of India (ECI) before the forthcoming Assembly elections in Bihar scheduled this year and expressed apprehension that these fresh guidelines might be another step towards implementation of NRC.

She also claimed that although these fresh guidelines have been issued before the Bihar Assembly polls this year, the main target of these new guidelines is West Bengal, which is also going for crucial Assembly polls next year.

Reacting to the Chief Minister’s observation in the matter, the Leader of the Opposition in the West Bengal Assembly, Suvendu Adhikari claimed that the Chief Minister had realised that the large number of illegal Bangladeshi infiltrators, including those from Rohingya background, who had been her dedicated vote bank for so long, will now be weeded out and hence she was attacking the poll panel on these fresh guidelines.

--IANS

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