‘Biswa Bangla’ row: I created logo…gave it to govt without taking money, says Mamata Banerjee

The controversy over ‘Biswa Bangla’ started when former Trinamool Congress leader Mukul Roy, who is now with the BJP, alleged that Abhishek Banerjee, nephew of Mamata, owned the logo and that it was not a government entity. Abhishek had denied the charges and slapped a legal notice against Roy.

Mamata said she had created the logo while travelling in a car and coined the name ‘Biswa Bangla’. She said she gave it to the state government under an agreement that it could not be sold to anybody. The chief minister also slammed the Opposition, which has been demanding a statement from her to clear the controversy. “Do they have any idea about ‘Biswa Bangla’? It’s not a crime that I created this brand. ‘Biswa Bangla’ is my dream, our dream. There is no question of taking money,” PTI quoted her as saying.

The CM said the logo was launched on September 16, 2013 during a government event, according to state Education Minister Partha Chatterjee. “During her speech at the Assembly today, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee criticised the role of some MLAs who had yesterday (Tuesday) commented on ‘Biswa Bangla’. The chief minister said the logo was launched on September 16, 2013 during a state government event,” Chatterjee told reporters at the Assembly.

The minister added: “The first Biswa Bangla showroom was set up at Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport on February 25, 2014. West Bengal State Export Promotion Society (WBSEPS) on behalf of micro, small and medium enterprises and textiles initiated the process of trademark register of ‘Biswa Bangla’ logo in March, 2014.” He said that WBSEPS application for registration of ‘Biswa Bangla’ logo by the register of trademarks government of India was submitted and accepted on June 19, 2014. “She said all these during her speech at the Assembly regarding the setting up of Biswa Bangla University in Birbhum district,” Chatterjee added.

Reacting to Mamata’s statements, state BJP president Dilip Ghosh said, “The TMC has been pushed to the wall and as a result the chief minister is now coming out to give clarifications on the issue. We know that she had created the ‘Biswa Bangla’ logo but Abhishek Banerjee had appealed to the court a number of times to be the owner of the logo. After our leader Mukul Roy raised this issue, Abhishek immediately withdrew his appeal from the court. There is something fishy about it and the TMC is trying to hide something.”