Raiganj: “Demand for a separate state is my constitutional right. I will never retreat from this path. If my supporters want, I will readily resign from the post of Rajya Sabha MP,” said Rajya Sabha BJP MP Nagendranath Roy, popular as Ananta Maharaj. The leader of the Greater Cooch Behar People’s Association, visited Kaliyaganj in North Dinajpur on Monday.
Ananta Maharaj, who is a staunch advocate of the Greater Cooch Behar separate state, was in Sapkali village to witness a Shiv Chandi Puja organised by Maa Bhabani Committee, the religious wing of GCPA. Ananta Maharaj was nominated as an MP of Rajya Sabha by the BJP. How
ever, recently Maharaj was peeved off with the saffron brigade for allegedly not having consulted him while deciding on the candidature of Nisith Pramanik from Cooch Behar. He also claimed that the BJP has no plans of carving out North Bengal as a separate state or Union Territory.
“Separate Cooch Behar state is not a mere demand, it is our constitutional right. This is our own land. In 1939, Amalgamation Act 290 A was scrapped by the British government.
The Indian government from 1947 to 1949 illegally merged our land with Bengal. We have been raising our protest for a long time. Our movement will go on until we are granted a separate state. If required I am ready to resign from the post of Rajya Sabha MP,” declared Ananta Maharaj.