July 3, 2019
Mamata Banerjee writes to PM on State’s name change
Hours after the Rajya Sabha was informed today by the Centre that the latter has refused permission for changing the name of the State to Bangla, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee shot off a letter to the prime minister requesting the same once again.
Last year in July, the West Bengal Assembly had passed a resolution to change the name of the state to ‘Bangla’. The resolution was supported by the Congress and the Left too.
The change of name was felt as ministers, senior bureaucrats and politicians from the State often complained that they were attended to at the end of high-level meetings in Delhi, where representatives were called in alphabetical order as per the States’ names.
In August 2016, the State Government had written to the Centre, suggesting three names – ‘Bangla’ in Bengali, ‘Bengal’ in English and ‘Bangal’ in Hindi. The proposal was turned down by the Centre. Then the Assembly zeroed in on ‘Bangla’.
Source: Indian Express
