Mamata Banerjee says the BJP is not considerate to the sentiments of the people of Bengal
Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has hit out at the ruling BJP for giving short shrift to the "genuine" demand of renaming the state as Bangla when a party-led government has been renaming cities to further its "political vested interest."
Ms Banerjee posted on Facebook: "Recently, I have been noticing that almost every day BJP has been changing the names of historical places and institutions unilaterally to suit their own political vested interests." She said the "West Bengal Assembly had unanimously passed a resolution" for changing the name of the state to Bangla, but the Union Government has remained oblivious to the sentiment of the people of the state.
The Yogi- Adityanath government in Uttar Pradesh recently renamed Allahabad as Prayagraj. Days later, the saffron-robed Chief Minister announced that Faizabad district would be renamed as Ayodhya.
His critics have since termed it an attempt by the BJP to bring back politics over Lord Ram into focus in the state that sends 80 lawmakers to the Lok Sabha ahead of the national elections early next year.
Ms Banerjee cited the "genuine" precedents of names of the states and cities being changed in the country in the past.
"After independence, there have been changes in the names of few states and cities, like Orissa to Odisha, Pondicherry to Puducherry, Madras to Chennai, Bombay to Mumbai, Bangalore to Bengaluru etc, keeping in view the sentiments of the state and local language."
She said those name changes, like her demand now, were genuine.
"Our Assembly had passed a unanimous resolution to change the name of our state on the basis of local sentiments related to our mother tongue, Bangla. 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," Ms Banerjee posted.
She said following a recommendation of the Union Home Ministry state assembly had again passed a resolution to change the name of the state to Bangla in all three languages and sent it back.
"But, it is pending there for a long, long time. It clearly shows deprivation to the people of Bengal," she posted. She asked whether it should be left to the BJP that has "zero strength" in the state to decide on "the unanimous resolution passed by our State Assembly in accordance with the Constitutional obligations and federal structure" of the country. Congress leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi, a lawmaker from the state, supported Ms Banerjee.
"Weird central government. Purely for political reasons denies Bangla rename for West Bengal," he tweeted.