Governance Now

From West Bengal to Bongo

The proposal to change name will be sent to centre after it gets a go-ahead by the West Bengal assembly

GN Bureau | August 3, 2016


#Bengal name change   #Mamata Banerjee   #Bongo   #West Bengal   #Babul Supriyo  
Mamata Banerjee, CM, West Bengal
Mamata Banerjee, CM, West Bengal

What’s in a name? Well it can make you speak last in a meeting if one goes in the alphabetical order. This has irked West Bengal’s chief minister Mamata Banerjee too. Tired of speaking at the very end of meetings, the CM has proposed to change the state’s name to ‘Bengal’ in English and ‘Banga’ or ‘Bangla’ in Bengali. 

 
The move will help the state move up the alphabetical order. At present, West Bengal is at the bottom of the table. Doing away with ‘West’ would help it reach number 4 position in the list of India's 29 states arranged alphabetically.
 
Some consider it as a welcome step, terming the name ‘West Bengal’ as colonial hangover. During India’s partition the British province of Bengal was divided into West Bengal, which stayed with India, and East Bengal, which went to Pakistan. In 1971, East Bengal became Bangladesh, but the Indian counterpart continued to be called West Bengal.
 
Some also hail the proposal as now children will not get confused as to why an eastern state is called ‘West Bengal’. But many fear the name change would wipe out the painful history of partition of Bengal.
 
Meanwhile, Twitter witnessed a laugh riot after the decision was announced. In Bengali ‘Banga’ is pronounced as Bongo, which is a musical instrument. This became a butt of jokes.
 
But for now, the name change proposal will be first discussed in the West Bengal Assembly, on August 26, and then it will be sent to the centre. 
 
 

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