The resolution to observe Poila Baisakh as Bangla Diwas and accept the Tagore song as the state song was proposed by minister Shovandev Chattopadhyay, Sashi Panja and other ruling MLAs. (Express Photo: Partha Paul)
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In a 167-62 vote, the West Bengal Assembly on Thursday passed a resolution making Poila Baishakh, the first day of the Bengali calendar, the statehood day and declaring Rabindranath Tagore’s Banglar Mati Banglar Jol as the state anthem.
The Opposition BJP opposed the resolution and wanted the government to accept the Centre’s proposal to observe June 20 as the statehood day. “This proposal will not also see the light of the day like the proposal to rename the state as Bangla, the proposal of Bidhan Parishad and many others. I will go to the Raj Bhavan and request the governor not to give ascent to the proposal,” Leader of the Opposition Suvendu Adhikari said. “With the power of the majority, you can change the date but you can not change the history.”
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Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee countered Adhikari’s statement. “Anybody may not approve our proposal but people will accept and celebrate Poila Baishakh as Paschimbangla Dibas,” the Trinamool Congress leader said.
“I support the proposal to make Rabindranath Tagore’s Banglar Mati Banglar Jol the official song of Bengal. The people of Bengal do not support June 20, which is synonymous with violence and bloodshed that marked the partition (of Bengal), as the state foundation day,” Banerjee said while speaking on the resolution.
The resolution to observe Poila Baisakh as Bangla Diwas and accept the Tagore song as the state song was proposed by minister Shovandev Chattopadhyay, Sashi Panja and other ruling MLAs.
One MLA abstained from voting on the resolution tabled under Rule 169.
Atri Mitra is a Special Correspondent of The Indian Express with more than 20 years of experience in reporting from West Bengal, Bihar and the North-East. He has been covering administration and political news for more than ten years and has a keen interest in political development in West Bengal.
Atri holds a Master degree in Economics from Rabindrabharati University and Bachelor's degree from Calcutta University. He is also an alumnus of St. Xavier's, Kolkata and Ramakrishna Mission Asrama, Narendrapur.
He started his career with leading vernacular daily the Anandabazar Patrika, and worked there for more than fifteen years. He worked as Bihar correspondent for more than three years for Anandabazar Patrika. He covered the 2009 Lok Sabha election and 2010 assembly elections. He also worked with News18-Bangla and covered the Bihar Lok Sabha election in 2019. ... Read More
