Amra Bangali Explained

Party Name:	Amra Bangali
Abbreviation:	AMB
Ideology:	Progressive Utilization Theory Bengali nationalism
Membership:	764,432 (2017)
Headquarters:	Kolkata, West Bengal
Founder:	Prabhat Ranjan Sarkar

Amra Bangali (Bengali: আমরা বাঙালী in Bengali pronounced as /ˈamɾaˑ ˈbaŋaliˑ/;) is a political party in India, based on the socio-economic and political philosophy Progressive Utilization Theory^[1] given by Prabhat Ranjan Sarkar;^[2] the party was sparked off in reaction against anti-Bengali rhetoric in Northeast India.^[3] Amra Bangali enjoyed a short stint in the spotlight in the mid-1980s when it even won some gram panchayat seats in border districts. Today, AMB is involved in various movements and protests including those against the Darjeeling Gorkhas calling for the creation of new state of Gorkhaland.^[4] It protested National Register of Citizens for Assam and Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019.^{[5] [6] [7]}

The politics of Amra Bangali is based on Sarkar's ideas of economic and political democracy. The party is organized in West Bengal, as well as in other states with large Bengali populations such as Tripura, Bihar, Odisha, Assam and Jharkhand. The only real political breakthrough the party has had was in Tripura during the 1980s, when the party entered the Legislative Assembly.

Bhuban Bijoy Majumder, resident of Tripura, was a famous leader of the party.^{[8] [9]}

Bangalistan

Bangalistan (in Bengali pronounced as /ˈbaŋalist̪an/) is the proposed state for the Bengalis in India^{[10] [11] [12]} and self-sufficient socio-economic zone promoted by the supporters of the Indian political party Amra Bangali.^[1] Basically, it is a social movement, based on Prabhat Ranjan Sarkar's socio-economic and political philosophy PROUT. Bengal or Bangalistan was divided several times in the past.^[13] The Mandai Massacre, Nellie Massacre, etc. proves the hurtful conditions of the Bengalis in India.^[14] The Amra Bangali protested the National Register of Citizens for Assam.^[15] The Bengalis want to reorganize Bangalistan as per the Article 3(a) of Part 1 of the Constitution of India to save themselves from oppression and exploitation.^[16] The Bangalistan envisioned by the party would include the whole of West Bengal, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Tripura, and some parts of Assam, Bihar and Jharkhand.

Demands

The demands of Amra Bangali include:

• Like Marathi, Punjabi, Tamils, etc. are given respective homelands in the federated structure of India, Bengalis should be given their homelands – Bangalistan.
• Bengali language should be used in all official and non-official works all over Bangalistan.
• The Bengali regiment should be reintroduced into the Indian Army, like Maratha, Sikh etc. regiments.
• All Bengali immigrants should be granted Indian nationality without a question mark.
• The amendments to Citizenship Charter that were done in the 1986 and 2003 need to be cancelled.
• In the entire North-East including Manipur– Assam, there is a systematic conspiracy to cancel voting rights of Bengalis and place them in outsiders' camps – this has to be stopped forthwith.
• The local youths must be given 100% employment as per Progressive Utilization Theory (PROUT).
• Block level planning has to be introduced and agro industries have to be established. Agriculture has to be given the status of industry.
• The publication of advertisements and showing of TV serials, cinemas, etc., which are disrespectful to the dignity of women have to be stopped forthwith, etc.^[11]

Aims and objectives

The aims and objectives of Amra Bangali include:

• Restoration and development of Bengali language and culture.
• Economic self-sufficiency.
• Self-determination in socio-political field.
• Re-organization of the territory of Bengal with all the like-minded people having respect for Bengali language and culture and giving a new name Bangalistan^[1] to this territory.

Wing organisations

The wing organisations of Amra Bangali are:^[17]

• Bangali Chhatra–Yuva Samaj
• Bangali Mahila Samaj
• Bangali Kars'ak Samaj
• Bangali Sramajiibii Samaj
• Bangali Vidvat Samaj

See also

• List of political parties in India
• Political parties in Tripura

External links

• Official website (Bengali)

Notes and References

1. Web site: Amra Bangali. prbhkr. 2012-03-15. en-US. 2020-04-16.
2. News: Who are the Amra Bangalis?. 13 Jun 2008. Indian Express. 11 January 2013.
3. Book: Van Schendel, Willem . 2005. The Bengal Borderland: Beyond State and Nation in South Asia . Anthem Press . 197 . 978-1-84331-145-4 . "Bengali-speaking Indian citizens living in India ... resented being portrayed as infiltrators ... Fearing for their position, they began creating organizations to protect their interests, e.g. 'Amra Bangali' ... 'If the eviction of Bengalis from Assam does not stop, all Bengal will be set afire!' Slogan of the political group Amra Bangali ... 1981.".
4. News: Khawas . Vimal . Amra Bangali and its philosophy . 28 August 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140903113946/http://www.darjeelingtimes.com/news/news/Amra-Bangali-and-its-philosophy-.html . 3 September 2014 . dead . dmy-all .
5. Web site: Group warns of protest in Tripura . 2022-03-01 . www.telegraphindia.com . en.
6. Web site: Amra Bangali staged protest against NRC and CAB . 2022-03-01 . www.tripurachronicle.in . 2022-06-12 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220612201632/https://www.tripurachronicle.in/Tripura/amra-bangali-staged-protest-against-nrc-and-cab-19234.cms . dead .
7. Web site: Amra Bengali joins the chorus of protest against NRC - Sentinelassam . 2022-03-01 . The Sentinel Assam . 4 August 2016 . en.
8. The Eyewitness: Tales from Tripura's Ethnic Conflict, Manas Paul.
9. Web site: Tripura West Lok Sabha Election Result - Parliamentary Constituency. 2020-06-13. resultuniversity.com.
10. Web site: Turmoil in the North East: The demand for Bangalistan. 2020-01-28. SabrangIndia. en. 2020-04-16.
11. Web site: 10 Points Demand Presented at 6000 Strong Amra Bengali Meet. prbhkr. 2015-11-21. en-US. 2020-04-16.
12. News: https://www.prothomalo.com/international/article/1624702. bn:আসামে এনআরসির প্রতিবাদে কলকাতায় সমাবেশ. Prothom Alo. 17 November 2019 . bn. 2020-04-17.
13. Partition of Bengal, 1905: All about the divide and rule that spurred protests. India Today. en. 2020-04-16.
14. Web site: Nellie massacre - A political blunder done by Congress in their quest to gain Power. Indian Defence Forum. en-US. 2020-04-16. 2020-02-20. https://web.archive.org/web/20200220113517/http://indiandefence.com/threads/nellie-massacre-a-political-blunder-done-by-congress-in-their-quest-to-gain-power.47201/. dead.
15. Web site: TRIPURAINFOWAY : Tripura's Latest News, Views & IT Portal. tripura-infoway.com. 2020-04-18. 2022-03-26. https://web.archive.org/web/20220326162701/http://tripura-infoway.com/news-details/TN/88549/protest-in-tripura-against-assam-rsquo-s-nrc-bengali-party-calls-assamese-too-are-refugees.html. dead.
16. Web site: Article 3 in The Constitution Of India 1949. indiankanoon.org. 2020-04-16.
17. Web site: bn:আমরা বাঙালী কর্তৃক নেতাজীর ১২৩-তম জন্মদিন পালন . https://notunprithivi.com/bn/amaraa-baanaalai-karatarka-naetaajaira-123-tama-janamadaina-paalana. notunprithivi.com. 2020-04-19.