BDF conducts press conference at Kolkata Press Club demanding separate Purbachal state, Provides historical context to journalists

In a press conference held at the Kolkata Press Club today, members of the Barak Democratic Front (BDF) shed light on the long-standing grievances of Barak Valley residents while attempting to garner support for the creation of a new Purbachal state, separate from Assam. The BDF Chief Convenor Pradip Dutta Roy expressed concerns that despite contributing a lion’s share of revenue to the state, the Assam Government has failed to allocate proportional resources to benefit the residents of Barak Valley.

The Union Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas recently acknowledged the abundant oil and gas reserves in Barak Valley, suggesting the potential for exports to Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. However, Dutta Roy accused the Assam Government of neglecting the development of industries and job opportunities from these natural resource reserves.

When asked by a journalist, Dutta Roy clarified that the Assam Government’s focus seems to target the Bengali community mainly, though other groups such as Hindi speakers and tea tribes have also been affected as they belong to the same region.

Delving into the history for providing context to the Kolkata journalists, Kalparnab Gupta, Chief Convenor of the Barak Youth Democratic Front (BDYF), highlighted that Barak Valley was historically not a part of Assam. It was added to Assam in 1874 by the colonial government to boost the state’s revenue. Despite India gaining independence in 1947, Barak Valley has faced significant and stark disparities in employment, infrastructure and transport communication. It has also been subjected to linguistic discrimination, exemplified by the attempt to impose Assamese language across the state in 1960. Protesting against this decision, 11 Bengali martyrs laid their lives at Silchar Railway Station for protecting the dignity of Bengali language while succumbing to bullets fired by the Assam Police.

The state has also witnessed violent ethno-chauvinistic movements, such as the Bongal Kheda, leading to mass killings and exodus of Bengalis to West Bengal and other parts of India. The subsequent signing of Assam Accord led to a saga of hellish agony for the Bengalis of the state as it aggravated further challenges including the issuance of D-voter notices, the National Register of Citizens (NRC) and detention camps. A fresh NRC with 1951 as the base year is now being considered.

Kalparnab alleged that the Assam Government is deliberately recruiting employees from Brahmaputra Valley for government offices in Barak, further exacerbating local unemployment issues and depriving locals which was evident from the recently held third and fourth grade exams. The closure of Paper and Sugar Mills, once the region’s primary industries, has compounded economic difficulties. The number of registered unemployed individuals in the region now stands at approximately 5 lakhs.

Additionally, talks of implementing Clause 6 of the Assam Accord, which would provide reservations for Khilonjiyas, raise concerns that Bengalis may be excluded from it and face further difficulties while trying to sustain a living for themselves.

The BDF contends that these numerous grievances and hardships necessitate the formation of a separate state for the collective well-being of Barak Valley residents. However, Kalparnab also noted that previous movements for a separate state did not gain significant traction, as coexistence was believed to be possible by the people. Yet, the current climate of animosity and division has made coexistence seem unattainable, as regionalists in Assam appear to disregard the value of Bengali lives. The creation of a new state is seen as a path to economic development for Barak Valley and the assurance of political rights for the people of the region as they become their own masters.

The BDF Chief Convenor Pradip Dutta Roy pointed out that the secession of states like Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Mizoram and Nagaland from Assam has led to their economic development, despite having populations of only 6-7 lakhs.