KOLKATA: The call for an indefinite hunger strike in Cooch Behar from Friday, three days ahead of the Assembly elections in north Bengal, has been withdrawn by the Greater Cooch Behar Peoples' Association [GCPA] — an organisation which questions "the merger of the district with West Bengal."

The district administration and election authorities, facing the possibility of disturbances and road-blocks during the run-up to the elections and on May 8, the day of polling were relieved by the announcement.

"Our leaders decided unanimously to put on hold the agitation for the safety of our volunteers as well as for the sake of peace on the day of the polls," Bangshibandhan Barman, general secretary, GCPA, told The Hindu over telephone.

`Illegal elections'

"The indefinite hunger-strike had been called in protest against the imposition of illegal Assembly elections on the people of the district," Mr. Barman said. "We have deferred it as our central leadership feared for the lives of our workers following reports that the administration was planning severe steps with the help of paramilitary forces to abort the agitation," he added.

The GCPA shot into prominence when it held a massive rally in September last year, which turned violent following a crackdown on the demonstrators. In all, 59 persons were arrested.

The rally was called in support of GCPA's demand for a "clarification of the territorial status of Cooch Behar whose inclusion in West Bengal was in violation of a decision to Centrally administer the region following an agreement signed by the Centre and the Maharajah of Cooch Behar on August 28, 1949," according to Mr. Barman. Central in the GCPA's agenda is the separation of the erstwhile princely province of Cooch Behar from West Bengal.

"The central committee and representatives of the 12 block committees in the district have decided to revive the agitation for Greater Cooch Behar after the elections," Mr. Barman said. "And even though we consider the coming elections illegal there has been no call for a boycott of the polls."

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