Mamata writes to Modi to expedite process of changing West Bengal's name to 'Bangla'

Kolkata: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee Wednesday wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to expedite the process of changing the state’s name to ‘Bangla’.

Banerjee also asked Modi to get the required constitutional amendment done during the current session of Parliament.

The letter was sent on a day when Union Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai informed the Rajya Sabha that the Centre has not yet given the go-ahead to change the name of the state and it required a constitutional amendment.

“The name West Bengal is in English and Paschim Banga in Bengali, And it does not bear the testimony of the classical history that our state has,” Banerjee said in the letter to the prime minister.

The state cabinet on September 8, 2017 decided that the name of the state should be ‘Bangla’ in Bengali, English and Hindi, Banerjee said adding that the Assembly also followed it up with a resolution on July 26, 2018.

“The chief secretary, West Bengal, communicated this position to the union home secretary on 21.8.2018 requesting him to initiate necessary action to alter the name of the state of West Bengal to Bangla in English Hindi and Bengali,” the letter read.

“I would request you to kindly get this (required constitutional) amendment done accordingly in the current session of the Parliament,” she said.

The state government has also decided to ask the Centre to expedite the process of changing the state’s name, a top official said Wednesday.

The draft of the letter in this regard is ready and it will be sent on Thursday.