Jhargram district may impact Jharkhand movement

Jharkhand movement aims to merge the region with neighbouring Jharkhand, claiming Jangalmahal is more similar with the Chotanagpur state than with Gangetic Bengal.

JHARGRAM: The formation of the new district is also likely to have some impact on the Jharkhand movement that aims to merge the region with neighbouring Jharkhand, claiming Jangalmahal is historically, geographically and culturally more similar with the Chotanagpur state than with Gangetic Bengal. 

While a political analyst tracking the developments of the region feels the creation of Jhargram district will put a death-knell on the Jharkhand movement, a member of National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) feels that if economic development is not accentuated, the move may backfire and act as catalyst in making the voices of the movement stronger.

"Mamata Banerjee, through her 'carrot and stick policy' with Jangalmahal in terms of putting an end to Maoist violence and recruiting some 10,000 boys and girls of Jangalmahal into the West Bengal police and civic police, has already gained immense popularity and strengthened the Trinamool Congress' foothold in the former CPM stronghold. By vowing to create the new district on April 15, she has acceded to wishes of the people. Though we may witness nominal rise in political presence of Jharkhand Party spearheading the Jharkhand movement, the overall intensity of the movement may decline when more opportunities are created in the new district," political analyst based in Jhargram, Amiya Bhattacharya said.

NHRC member Satyam Mahapatra, who has extensively worked in the region during the height of Maoist insurgency, said,"I agree that creation of Jhargram district was a political masterstroke of Mamata Banerjee in giving voice to the region, but with the current indebted state of the West Bengal government, acceleration of economic development in the new district may be a herculean task. If the people don't witness economic development, voices of separation will grow stronger and the entire move may backfire."

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