Union Home Minister Amit Shah visited Assam and West Bengal, where he addressed a community vital to upcoming Assembly elections in both states — the Koch Rajbongshis.
Daily Current Affairs Quiz 2021
They are a community that traces its roots to the Kamata kingdom, which comprised parts of Assam, West Bengal and adjoining territories.
In the medieval period, the community was dominant and ruled their territory of Kamatapur, which comprised a large part of Bangladesh, West Bengal, Bihar and India’s north-east.
After Independence, the princely state of Cooch Behar became part of West Bengal.
Today, Koch Rajbongshis are found in Assam, Meghalaya, West Bengal and Bihar, and in Bangladesh, Nepal and some parts of Bhutan.
They are estimated to number over 33 lakh in West Bengal, mostly the northern districts, and have a large presence in Assam.
