Abhishek bid to woo Rajbanshis; TMC leader questions PM's failure to offer puja at Madanmohan Temple
Telegraph | 8 April 2026
Trinamool Congress leader Abhishek Banerjee on Tuesday tried to stoke the sentiments of the Rajbanshi community as he addressed three public meetings in the northern districts of Cooch Behar, Alipurduar and Jalpaiguri.
“The Prime Minister visited Cooch Behar and addressed a public meeting at the Raasmela Ground. But he couldn’t make time to visit and offer a puja at the Madanmohan Temple, which is the most revered place in the district. Surprisingly, they claim to be the custodians of Hinduism,” the Trinamool national general secretary said while addressing a public meeting at Tufanganj RMC ground in the Natabari Assembly constituency of the district.
Abhishek wielded a letter he claimed the erstwhile state chief secretary had sent to the Union home secretary in February, seeking constitutional recognition of the Rajbanshi/Kamtapuri language.
“We want the Rajbanshi language to be included in the Eighth Schedule of the Indian Constitution. Over one-and-a-half months have passed since the letter was sent. Yet, the BJP government at the Centre is sitting silent. This proves the BJP’s insincerity towards the Rajbanshi community,” the Diamond Harbour MP added.
The Rajbanshis determine electoral results in almost half of the 54 Assembly constituencies in north Bengal.
In the 2021 Assembly elections, the BJP had won most of the seats in the Rajbanshi-dominated belts, while Trinamool got fewer seats.
Abhishek referred to the notices served on some of the people by the foreigners’ tribunal of Assam, a BJP-ruled state that shares borders with Alipurduar and Cooch Behar, to prove their citizenship.
“This was a blatant insult to the Rajbanshis as they were told to prove their citizenship. Central ministers and BJP leaders made tall promises like the formation of a Narayani battalion (in the central paramilitary forces in the name of the royal troops of the erstwhile princely state of Cooch Behar), the installation of a statue of Chila Roy (the fiercest fighter of the royal family), and opening a cultural centre and museum for the community. But eventually, those promises turned out to be hollow,” he said.
While speaking at the meetings, the second-in-command of Trinamool also reiterated that if the party is voted to power for the fourth time, the state government will ensure that the daily wage rate of tea workers will be increased to 300 rupees from 250 rupees.
He also mentioned other initiatives taken by the Trinamool government in the tea belt, which include identity cards for workers, crèches and buses for children, and health centres.
“It was a significant announcement as the Assam government has revised the wage rates in the state, which have come into effect from April 1. The Trinamool MP’s missive to the tea workers and their families shows that the party is keen to consolidate its support base in the brew belt by playing the development card and by promising a higher wage to counter the saffron camp,” said a senior trade union leader based in Siliguri.