Ruling party in the State Jharkhand Mukti Morcha's (JMM's) Chief and Rajya Sabha MP, Shibu Soren has written to Union Railway Minister, Ashwini Vaibhav to write Railway Stations’ names in Bangla Language in the areas of the State where Bengali speaking people live in large numbers.

Through the letter it has been said that a large population of Bengali speaking people reside in Santhal Pargana, Manpur, Singhbhum, Dhalbhum and Panchpargania regions of Jharkhand. Bangla language has been the common language of speech in a large part of the State. Pakur, Barhwa, Jamtara, Mihijam, Madhupur, Jasidih, Maithon, Kumardhubi, Chirkunda, Kalubathan, Dhanbad, Gomoh, Parasnath, Hazaribagh Road, Muri, Ranchi, Hatia, Chakulia, Galudih, Rakha Mines, Tatanagar, Chandil, Kandra. The name plates of many old railway stations like Chakradharpur, Chaibasa, Barkakana, Ranchi Road used to mention Bangla language.

The JMM Chief said through the letter that for some years it has been seen that the name written in Bangla language is being erased in this area. “This is very unfortunate and impractical. The citizenship of Bangla speaking people in this area is basically permanent. All of them are natives of Jharkhand. The public sentiment of the natives of Jharkhand is that the names of the places of the residents there should be mentioned on the name plates of the railway stations of that area,” he added.

Soren has urged the Railway Minister to mark the places in consultation with the Jharkhand State Government and use of Bengali language along with tribal languages should be made mandatory without delay. He also said that the territory of Jharkhand was a part of the Bengal Presidency till 1912. After this it became a part of Bihar. Indian Railways came into existence in 1908. According to the first region, local language has been used in railway stations, he added.