BJP MLAs urge naming of Bagdogra airport after Biswa Mahabir Chila Roy
The Statesman | 3 April 2025
BJP MLA from Matigara-Naxalbari, Anandamay Barman, has urged Union civil aviation minister Kinjarapu Rammohan Naidu to name the under-construction terminal at Bagdogra airport after Biswa Mahabir Chila Roy.
Notably, a delegation of 10 BJP MLAs from North Bengal is currently in Delhi, meeting Union ministers to discuss developmental issues and seek central assistance ahead of the 2026 Assembly elections.
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Meanwhile, BJP MLA from Siliguri, Sankar Ghosh, who also serves as the chief whip of the Opposition in the State Assembly, has requested the Siliguri Police Commissioner to order the closure of liquor shops in Siliguri for 12 hours on 6 April during Ram Navami celebrations. Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) General Secretary Laxman Bansal has also urged state authorities to shut down liquor shops from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on the same day.
Interestingly, some Ram Navami celebration committees have been staging protests outside liquor shops in Siliguri, urging owners to shut down their outlets after their appeal to the excise department reportedly went unanswered.
It is also significant that a BJP MLA from Darjeeling had previously proposed naming the new Bagdogra Airport terminal after Gorkha leader Subash Ghising. However, MLA Barman, who belongs to the Rajbanshi community, met the Civil aviation minister separately to advocate for naming the terminal after Chila Roy, presenting his rationale for the choice.
In his letter to the minister, Barman highlighted that at least 13 Rajbanshi families had donated land for the establishment of the Bagdogra airport in its early stages. He also briefed the minister on the historical significance of Biswa Mahabir Chila Roy, also known as Shukladhwaj (1510–1577 AD).
Chila Roy was the third son of Maharaja Biswa Singha, the founder of the Koch-Rajbanshi dynasty in Kamtapur (present-day Cooch Behar). He was the younger brother of Maharaja Nara Narayan and served as his commander-in-chief and chief minister (Dewan) of the Kamtapur Kingdom. His military prowess earned him the title “Chila Ray,” as he was known for swift and strategic attacks, much like an eagle striking its prey.