People of Rajbangshi community express gratitude to Mamata

Kolkata: Representatives of Rajbangshi community expressed their gratitude to Mamata Banerjee on Sunday as she is the first Chief Minister to pay homage to the "Bir" of the community Bir Chilarai in such a way on his birth anniversary.

This comes when the Chief Minister has ensured a massive development for the community by taking a series of projects. People of the Rajbanshi community are present mainly in the North Bengal districts apart from

Darjeeling.

On Saturday, Banerjee tweeted: "Homage to Bir Chilarai, the younger brother and commander-in-chief of King Nara Narayan, on his birth anniversary. Best wishes to my Rajbanshi brothers and sisters on this occasion."

Bangsi Badan Barman, general secretary of Greater Cooch Behar People's Association (GCBPA), said: "This is the first time when any Chief Minister has paid homage to Bir Chilarai in such a way. We express our gratitude towards the Chief Minister for such gesture towards the people from Rajbangshi community.

This comes when the Mamata Banerjee government gave recognition to Kamtapuri language and raised Narayani Battallion.

Setting up Narayani Battallion had been a long standing demand of the people from the community.

It has been fulfilled with the Chief Minister inaugurating its headquarters in Connch Behar

during her recent visit to North Bengal.

At the same time the Chief Minister also announced to set up 200 schools for the people from Rajbangshi community.

She has also proposed the matter related to the setting up of the schools while presenting the interim budget in the state Assembly.

This comes when the syllabus for the Rajbangshi language is ready and it was the demand of the people from the community that their language should also be taught along with other languages.