Defence Minister Rajnath Singh assures BMYB of sorting out the COBC problem

STAF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: A delegation of the Bishnupriya Manipuri Young Brigade (BMYB) comprising its president Biswajit Sinha, chief adviser Lucky Sena Rajkumar, adviser Bidan Sinha and member Rajendra Sinha met Defence Minister Rajnath Singh in New Delhi recently on problems relating to the COBC (Central OBC Commission) faced the members of the Bishnupriya Manipuri community enrolled in the defence (army, CRPF and Air force).

Talking to this reporter, one of the members of the delegation writer Bidhan Sinha, who is the chairman of Srikrishna-Rukmini Kalakshetra, said, "The Bishnupriya Manipuris belong to the OBC in Assam and Tripura. The Bishnupriya Manipuris of Tripura have got the COBC (Central OBC) status, but not of Assam have not. Some Bishnupriya youths of Assam enrolled in the CRPF had to lose their jobs as they don't have COBC certificates. "We raised the problem before Hon'ble Defence Minister Rajnath Singh. He assured us of sorting out the problem.

"We also raised the demand for Bishnupriya Manipuri Territorial Councils in the states where the community has sizeable populations. The Defence Minister's response to this demand was positive.

"We have raised the demand for renaming the Kolkolighat Railway Station as Swahid Sudeshna Railway Station as the martyr sacrificed her life in police firing during the Bishnupriya Manipuri Language movement led by the Nikhil Bishnupriya Manipuri Students' Union on March 16, 1996. The response to this demand from Union Minister was in the affirmative.

"The other demand we raised before the Defence Minister was the implementation of the Bishnupriya Manipuri Language as the medium of instruction while implementing the New Education Policy (NEP). The Defence Minister assured us of taking positive steps towards that end. "We have also raised the demand to upgrade the Srikrishna-Rukmini Kalakheshta to a university, besides declaring the Rukmini a heritage river."

The Defence Minister assured the delegation to grace a grand Gopi Rasalila and Rakhal Rasalia (100 gogals in the day and 100 gopis at night) slated to be held at Patharkandi in the Karimganj district next year.

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