- The renaming of Kerala drew a sharp attack on the Centre from Mamata Banerjee
- The Centre rejected West Bengal's possible name "Bangla" due to the possibility of confusion, sources said
- Changing West Bengal's name requires lengthy procedures and parliamentary approval,. sources said
The Centre's move to rename Kerala has had ripples in distant West Bengal, where Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee accused the government of being anti-Bengal. Underscoring the idea that the re-naming is a big political move ahead of the Kerala assembly elections, she alleged that the Centre remembers Bengal only during elections. Government sources, however, have refuted the allegations, listing the reasons for the Centre's refusal to rename Bengal.
Sources said the most important reason to turn down the latest name suggested - Bangla -- is that the name is similar to Bangladesh and may cause confusion in the international community regarding the name of this major state of India.
The Ministry of External Affairs has also expressed its views on this matter.
In 2016, the West Bengal government had proposed three names: Bangla in Bengali, Bengal in English, and Bangal in Hindi.
The Central government had rejected this proposal, pointing out that the same state cannot have three different names in three different languages. The name should be consistent across all languages.
Mamata Banerjee had proposed changing the state's name after assuming power for the first time in 2011.
At the time, she proposed changing West Bengal's name to Paschim Banga or Paschim Bango.
This was rejected, citing it as a minor change.
The Central government has also argued that changing the name of a vast state like West Bengal involves a lengthy process.
It requires consultation with various departments, including the Railways, the Postal Department, and the Ministry of Aviation, as the state's name is changed in all records. Additionally, a bill must be passed in Parliament with a simple majority to change the name.
Government sources, however, said there is a significant political reason behind not changing West Bengal's name.
In the British period, then Viceroy Lord Curzon had split Bengal in East and West Bengal - ostensibly to aid the administration of a large province. But he had to roll back the move afer massive protests.
After the partition of India in 1947, the eastern part of Bengal went to Pakistan and was known as east Pakistan.
In 1971, after the Bangladesh war, it became Bangladesh. India, still, retained the name West Bengal as a nod to history.
Mamata Banerjee has argued that since there is no longer an East Bengal, there is no point in using "West" before "Bengal".
She also wants to change the name because, according to her, with the state's name beginning with a "W", Bengal comes last in any state-specific event, including Chief Ministers' conference.
In competitions, the state's children compete last and are often exhausted by then.
Citing this, Banerjee had launched a scathing attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah earlier today.
Declaring that she has raised the issue whenever she met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah, she said, "Much to my surprise, nothing has happened".
"I think they are not approving it because they are anti-Bengali. They disrespect the icons and visionaries of Bengal. They only use the word 'Bangla' during polls to get electoral benefit. That is why they have not given the approval to rename the state," she said.
The Chief Minister, though, expressed hope that the name of the state will be changed when the BJP is no longer in power.
