An all-party meeting in Kolkata decided unanimously Friday to change West Bengal’s name to Paschimbanga. The state government will now either move a non-official Assembly resolution or forward a Cabinet decision on the proposal to the Union home ministry.
Effecting a change would require a constitutional amendment, which must be passed by both Houses of Parliament and secure the President’s consent. State parliamentary affairs minister Partha Chatterjee, addressing a joint press conference with Leader of the Opposition Suryakanta Mishra, said: “Today’s meeting unanimously decided that West Bengal’s name in English should be changed from West Bengal to Paschimbanga. We discussed so many probable names, but finally decided on Paschimbanga. All of us wanted this change for historic reasons and administrative benefits. It is always better that the state’s name start with a letter close to A.”
Dr Mishra (CPI-M) supported him, saying the Left Front had also wanted a change, and an unofficial resolution was passed in the Assembly in 1999 to rename the state “Bangla”. But the Centre had not moved a bill in Parliament.
Four names had been suggested earlier — Bangabhumi, Bangla, Bangapradesh and Paschimbangla — before CM Mamata Banerjee suggested Paschimbanga.