West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday raised the pitch for change of name of the State afresh saying that a proposal to change the name of the State to Bangla has been lying with the Centre for a long time.
She alleged that almost every day “BJP has been changing the names of historical places and institutions unilaterally to suit their own political vested interests… But in respect of Bengal, the attitude is totally different.”
Ms. Banerjee through a long post on social media said that the West Bengal State Assembly had passed a unanimous resolution to change the name of the State. It was resolved that the name of the State be changed from West Bengal to Bengal in English, Bangla in Bengali and Bangal in Hindi and sent to the Union Home Ministry, she added.
“However, the Union Home Ministry advised us to use the name Bangla in all three languages. Accordingly, our Assembly passed an unanimous resolution to change the name of the state to Bangla in all three languages and sent it to the Union Home Ministry again,” the Chief Minister said.
In an oblique reference to reports that Bangla sounds similar to Bangladesh can create problems, Ms Banerjee said, “Similarity of names should not create a hurdle. There is a Punjab in our neighbouring country as well as in India.”
The Chief Minister said that the developments show “deprivation to the people of Bengal” and the people of the State “must get a positive response immediately.”
