NEW DELHI: The West Bengal Legislative Assembly on Monday passed a resolution changing the name of the state to Bengal in English and Bangla in Bengali, The Hindu said.

Despite the Trinamool Congress government trying hard to arrive at a consensus of all political parties on the issue, the Congress, the Left Front and the BJP did not support the resolution.

While representatives of all the three parties participated in the debate, Congress legislators walked out of the House during discussion, the Left Front wanted an amendment to the name change resolution and BJP opposed the resolution. In the end a resolution was passed through voice vote.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee called the attitude of the opposition a ‘historic blunder’ and said that the people of the state will not forgive them for this.

Ms Banerjee said that the centre has already been informed that they should not consider an earlier resolution adopted by the assembly on the issue and soon a fresh proposal will be sent to them.

She said her government will urge the centre to pass the resolution through the parliament. Consent of the parliament is necessary to affect the name change.

In Sept 2011 the State Assembly has passed a resolution changing the name of the state to Paschim Banga both in Bengali and English.

Published in Dawn, August 30th, 2016