KLO chief’s ‘video urging boycott’ triggers controversy before CM’s December 9 meet

Cooch Behar: As the stage is all set for Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s public meeting at the Ras Mela Maidan in Cooch Behar on December 9, a controversy has erupted over a video message—purportedly from banned Kamtapur Liberation Organisation (KLO) chief Jibon Singha— going viral on social media on Thursday morning. In the unverified video, Jibon Singha called for a boycott of the Chief Minister’s rally. Millennium Post has not independently verified the authenticity of the video.

In the message, Singha alleged that the state government, operating from Kolkata, was “torturing” the Rajbangshi community.

He declared: “We will never accept that the police are torturing Rajbangshis while Mamata Banerjee holds a meeting at the Ras Mela ground. We will replace Mamata Didi and reclaim greater Cooch Behar with our blood.”

He also expressed anger over the police’s alleged attempt to obstruct a joint hunger strike by various Rajbangshi organisations at the same venue on Wednesday.

Reacting sharply to the remarks, North Bengal Development minister Udayan Guha dismissed Singha’s call as meaningless. “His words have no value. No Rajbangshi person will listen to him. If he has the courage, let him come out and speak publicly about politics,” Guha said.

He further criticised the KLO chief, saying: “His name may be Jibon Singha, but he is no lion—just a fox who smokes hookah. The largest gathering of Rajbangshi people will attend the Chief Minister’s meeting on December 9 because she has done significant work for their development.”

BJP’s Cooch Behar district vice-president Biraj Bose also responded, stating: “What Jibon Singha said is their internal matter. But the Rajbangshi community was never with Trinamool earlier and will not be with them in the future.”