This call by the Centre to change the name of Kerala has been felt even in the remote West Bengal where the chief minister, Mamata Banerjee, accused the government of being anti-Bengal. Stressing on the fact that it is a big political action on the part of the re-naming, prior to the Kerala assembly elections, she accused the Centre of remembering Bengal only around the time of elections. The allegations have been denied by government sources, who gave the reasons as why the Centre declined to give the Bengal its new name.
According to the sources, the biggest challenge in refusing the localized name proposed recently Bangla is that it resembles the name of Bangladesh and, therefore, will cause confusion in the global community on the name of this largest state in India.
The Ministry of External Affairs has also given its opinions on this issue.
In 2016, the West Bengal government had put forward three names, which included Bangla in Bengali, Bengal in English and Bangal in Hindi.
This proposal had been countered by the Central government which had indicated that the same state cannot bear three different names in three different languages. The name must be similar in all languages.
After assuming the power in the first time in 2011, Mamata Banerjee had suggested to change the name of the state.
She suggested that the state of West Bengal should be renamed to Paschim Banga or Paschim Bango at the time.
This was ruled out, claiming that this was a minor change.
Another defense by the Central government has been that renaming a huge state such as West Bengal is associated with a long process.
It must consult the different departments, the Railways, the Postal Department, the Ministry of Aviation and so the name of the state is changed at all the records. Moreover, the name change will require a simple majority in Parliament in order to make the change.
However, the government sources stated that there is a strong political reason as to why the name of West Bengal is not changing.
During the British rule, which later Viceroy Lord Curzon, then divided Bengal into East and West Bengal – pretextually, under the guise of assisting in the governing of the large province. However, he was forced to reverse the action after colossal controversies.
Eastern Bengal (today called east Pakistan) was partitioned off with India in 1947 and became part of Pakistan.
It emerged in Bangladesh in 1971 following the war in 1971. The name West Bengal was however left in India as a reminder of history.
Mamata Banerjee has claimed that there is no East Bengal anymore, and so there is no need to place West in the front of Bengal.
She also desires to do the change of name, because, as she puts it, in any state-specific event, such as Chief Ministers conference, the name of the state starts with a W, and she, therefore, is at the bottom of the list.
The state children are the last to compete and in most instances, are too fatigued by the time they finish.
It is upon this that Banerjee had previously given a stinging assault on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah.
She said much to her surprise nothing has occurred after she requested the issue to be raised every time she met the Prime Minister, Narendra Modi and also the Union Home Minister, Amit Shah.
“Why are we made to sit in Y-Z so long? The boys and girls of our State are obliged to sit on the back bench when they are taking exams. The West Bengal Chief Minister in a video message has said that whenever he travels as the Chief Minister, he gets the final opportunity to be called by this name in alphabetical order. She was attempting to impress that as West Bengal starts with the letter W, the name has to be located at the lower end of the alphabet list.”
“I believe they do not approve it due to their being anti-Bengali. They lack reverence to revolutions and heroes of Bengal. During a polling, they will apply the term Bangla as a means of acquiring political gain. This is why they are yet to approve and rename the state”, said she.
The Chief Minister, however, expressed the hope that this state will change the name when the BJP is out of the power.
How can names of states can be changed?
The Constitution includes an article 3 which offers a possibility of changing the names of the existing states. Article 3 provides that the name of any state may be changed by Parliament legislation.
The Centre will now introduce a constitutional amendment bill in the Parliament. The change of name is only effected in official documents after being passed by the parliament.
In the year 2011, Orissa was renamed as Odisha through Orissa (Alteration of Name) Bill, 2010. The state of West Bengal also attempted to rename the state to Paschim Banga in 2011 and 2016. In 2020 the request was declined by the Centre, however.
For more updates follow: Latest News on NEWZZY
