WB parties cash in on the name game

The Trinamool Congress, which dismissed the move as a political stunt, criticised the CPI(M) for trying to make cheap gains in election time. The party’s former MP, Sudip Bandopadhyaya told The Indian Express, “While we want the name of the state to change, it cannot be `Bangla’ which is not only incomplete but can be very confusing. And, all political parties should have been consulted before the CPI(M) took such a major decision.” Bandopadhyayasaid his party did not want Calcutta’s name to be changed “for it would affect our image abroad.”

Earlier, Mamata had blamed the CPI(M) for rushing through the proposal without consulting any major Opposition parties and `without taking the people into confidence.’

Another Left party, the SUCI, also criticised the CPI(M) in terms which would hurt the Left Front big brother most. Pravash Ghosh, a senior SUCI leader, said, “the CPI(M) is trying to spread a dangerous brand of provincialism to make gains in the coming election.”

Admitting that the SUCI legislator cast his vote in the Assembly in favour of the motion `by mistake’, Ghosh said: “Change of names is irrelevant and a move to shift focus from other pressing issues during the election.”

The State Congress working president Priyaranjan Dasmunshi’s criticism that `Bangla’ would create confusion would surely put the Congress Legislature Party which backed the motion to an unenviable position.

The issue also elicited reactions from the AnandaMargis, who though supported the change of names, opposed `Bangla’ and `Kolkata.’ A press release from the organisation said: “Instead of `Bangla’ it should have been Paschim Banga and Kolkata should have been Kolikata, “for that is what its original name is,” the press release said. Incidentally, the Ananda Marg founder, the late P R Sarkar had suggested a long time back that `Calcutta be changed to Kolikata and Bombay to Mumbai.’