Jatiyo Bangla Sammelan

Jatiyo Bangla Sammelan (alternately spelled Jaatiyo Bangla Shommelon, ; JBS) is a Bengali subnationalist organization based in Kolkata, India. It was created with the aim of securing the economic and social rights of Bengalis in West Bengal. Jatiyo Bangla Sammelan was modelled after many similar rights groups based in Karnataka, Tamil Nadu like the Karnataka Rakshana Vedike and also draws inspiration from their functioning.
The organisation has active members in every district of West Bengal except Kalimpong. Jatiyo Bangla Sammelan has often taken a protective stance towards Bengali language and culture both within the state of West Bengal and outside for which the organization has been criticized at times as being aggressive and borderline chauvinistic.
History
Jatiyo Bangla Sammelan took shape on the 9th of December, 2019 after a split from a larger Bengali sub-nationalist organisation called Bangla Pokkho. Most of its members have formerly been part of Bangla Pokkho. The formation of Jatiyo Bangla Sammelan along with a few other outfits coincided with the emergence of Bengali subnationalism since the later part of 2019. One of the main planks on which both JBS and Bangla Pokkho came into being was to counter the "imposition of Hindi" and "north Indian culture". These were in line with agendas of various similar organisations and groups operating in the southern states. During the coronavirus pandemic, the organisation along with the respective state governments provided ration and essential commodities to handloom sari sellers from Bengal who had been stuck elsewhere in the country.
Protests
Protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act
Jatiyo Bangla Sammelan has demonstrated against the Citizenship Amendment Act in different parts of West Bengal. During a demonstration against the Act at the 2020 Kolkata Book Fair, a scuffle broke out among members of different groups. Jatiyo Bangla Sammelan alleged that workers of the Vishva Hindu Parishad attacked its members when they were apparently distributing leaflets at the fair.
Protests against Chhath Puja in Kolkata’s lakes
In 2020, members of Jatiyo Bangla Sammelan protested against performing Chhath puja at the two ecologically important lakes of Rabindra Sarobar and Subhas Sarobar. The organisation set up a night-long vigil at the entry points to the lake to prevent anyone from entering the premises. Performing rituals in these lakes was prohibited by National Green Tribunal (NGT). Although the West Bengal government had appealed before the NGT to allow Chhath puja in Rabindra Sarobar, the plea was rejected. The state government had subsequently moved the Supreme Court of India challenging the NGT verdict but the Supreme Court also gave the state government no relief.
In the preceding year, thousands of devotees had entered the lake and performed puja. The personnel of Kolkata Police also, were reluctant in enforcing NGT orders and were seen standing idly outside the lake premises.
Hindi imposition protest
JBS has held and led various protests against "Hindi-imposition" in Kolkata and elsewhere in West Bengal. The aim of these protests were to counter the imposition of Hindi on Bengalis, the Central Government's National Education Policy and a perceived threat to the culture of West Bengal.
Outreach activities
Covid Community kitchen
After the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic had rendered many without a job, Jatiyo Bangla Sammelan decided to run six community kitchens which were named Joy Bangla Canteen, across West Bengal. Since the 17th of May 2021, it ran community kitchens at Gariahat and Bhowanipore in the district of Kolkata, Howrah station in the district of Howrah, Chanditala in Hooghly district, Egra in Purba Medinipur district and in Mousuni Island of South 24 Parganas. In Kolkata, it ran the makeshift kitchen in a guesthouse next to the Gariahat police station. It was forced to wrap up its drive in July, 2021 due to lack of funds.
Free city bus service during Covid-19
Jatiyo Bangla Sammelan introduced free bus service in Kolkata when the public transport in the city was suspended by the government to tackle Covid. This was aimed mainly at providing relief to daily-passengers who were already reeling under massive economical crisis. Although initially these free buses plied on only 3 routes within Kolkata, it was subsequently increased to 8 routes for the sake of joint entrance examinees.
Criticism
JBS has been criticized for being aggressive and chauvinistic in its working. There have also been allegations of the organisation's political leaning towards a particular Party even though it formally claims itself to be apolitical and maintains that it doesn't have any political affiliation. Some of the organization's members have also been accused of blackening signboards at Railway stations.

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