KOLKATA: Today the West Bengal Legislative Assembly passed a government resolution changing the name of the State to Bengal in English and Bangla in Bengali. Despite the Trinamool Congress government trying hard to arrive at a consensus of all major political parties on the issue, the Congress, Left Front and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) did not support the resolution. Even as the representatives of all the three political parties participated in the debate, Congress legislatures 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. A ‘historic blunder’ has been committed by the opposition and the people of the State will not forgive them for this, said Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. She said her government will urge the Centre to pass the resolution through the Parliament. Parliamentary consent is necessary to affect the name change, the CM said. The State Assembly has passed a resolution changing the name of the State to Paschim Banga both in Bengali and English in September 2011. ]]>
