Dr. Rammanohar Lohia in Jalpaiguri North Bengal..
Since inception of Congress Socialist Party Jalpaiguri (North Bengal) had a strong base of socialist movement. In this District, Socialist leadership organised farmer’s movement, Tea garden labour movement and also organised Harijan Samaj. In the post independent period “SAMJUKTA SOCIALIST PARTY” and “PRAJA SOCIALIST PARTY” had strong organisational base. Naturally many socialist leaders used to come to Jalpaiguri District.
On three occasion Dr. Lohia came to Jalpaiguri. In the year 1946, August, for the first time Dr. Lohia came to Jalpaiguri as a part of his organisational tour. On that occasion admidst various programme he visited Fanindradeb institution and Azad Hind Pathagar ( A leading High School and Public Library at Jalpaiguri Town) In Azad Hind Pathagar ( organised by socialist) Dr. Lohia wrote his comments in Azad hind Pathagar’s visitor’s book.
Veteran Socialist Leader and ex Head Master of Belacoba High School Ajay Basu (since deceased) told that in the year 1950 Dr. Lohia also came to Jalpaiguri town. Sri Bose stated the event as follows:
” In one evening myself, Badal Sarkar, Nirmal Sarkar and Haripada Ghosh were sitting in the office of the socialist Party at BARDGAN PRANGAN. At that time one gentalmen in traditional Marwari dress enterd in to our party office and called Nirmal da. They separately talked for while and then together they left the place. On the following day we went to Nirmalda’s house and learnt that the gentleman with traditional Marwari dress was Dr. Lohia. At that time Nepali Congress launched armed struggle against RANASHAHI of Nepal. Dr. Lohia and some other socialist leaders extended active support to that movement. Coming to Jalpaiguri Dr. Lohia gave responsibility to Nirmal Sarkar to contact with Socialist leader Basanta Ghosh of Siliguri. As instructed by Dr. Lohia Basant Ghosh actively involved in the struggle against RANASHAHI and under his leadership JHAPA province of Nepal was free from RANASHAHI and Basanta Ghosh appointed as Governor of JHAPA and held the post for quite sometime.”
For the third time Dr. Rammanohar Lohia came to Jalpaiguri in the year 1965 to attend SAMYUKTA SOCIALIST PARTY worker’s confrence at Maynaguri. He spent the night in the house of renowned trade union leader and samyukta socialist party leader Deven Sarkar. Chitta Dey and Niranjan Dutta received Dr. Lohia in the mayanaguri railway station. On the following day Dr. Lohia attended workers conference at Mayanaguri.
