Since India's Independence in 1947, Western half of Bengal was integrated with India and was named as West Bengal though it had no Eastern half within the country's border ! East Bengal had then become a separate nation - which later proudly came to be known as the "Bangladesh" ("The Bengali Nation") in 1971. But, the Indian portion of Bengal was and is still being called "West Bengal". But why ???
Why refer it as "West Bengal"? when there's no existing "East Bengal" in India?. Sounds completely illogical.... right?To cut it short and make it simple- "West Bengal" doesn't make any sense today.... Think over it! its completely Irrational and illogical. We can never be "East Bengalis" or "West Bengalis" We'r all just "Bengalis" no matter we'r from East or West - Its as simple as that ! The mere term "West" reminds us of the grim past and the sad memories of Partition of United Bengal. It also brings the debate of "Epar Bangalee and Opar Bangalee" Today the youth wants to be United and we have grown out of the "Epar Bangalee and Opar Bangalee" mindset, we want one identity that's being "Bengali".
In "Jana Gana Mana", India's national anthem, Rabindranath Tagore calls the land "Bongo (বঙ্গ )". In protest against the partition of Bengal in 1905, he had composed "Amar Shonar Bangla", thus referring to the land as "Bangla". The newly created country ofBangladesh adopted this song as its national anthem in 1972, butIndia and the Indian part of Bengal have failed to honor the spirit of his composition. It's high time we gave the state a name it deserves.
The time has arrived for giving a more meaningful and logical name to our state and to drop the prefix "West". But we also have to keep in mind that, by naming our state as just "Bengal"("Bongo" "বঙ্গ") we would create a great conflict in our History and we cant afford to play with the heritage and history of Bengal! BENGAL is the Region of Bengali speaking people comprising of present West Bengal & Bangladesh, so Bengal is incomplete without Bangladesh and thus, we cannot name our state as Bengal!
There are several other meaningful names:
- Indian Bengal ("Bharatio Bongo" ভারতীও বঙ্গ)
- Bongo Prodesh (বঙ্গ প্রদেশ)
- Bangla Prodesh (বাংলা প্রদেশ)
Time of India has also joined the hands and started a campaign in Kolkata which they are calling Only "Bengal”. You also can join the movement by just registering your vote atwww.onlybengal.com-জয় বাংলা| Joy Bangla
posted on 06 April at 10:48
Please don't do this, coming from a Western Punjabi. In Punjab, we talk about "Pakistani Punjab" and "Indian Punjab" rather than West Punjab and East Punjab, and Punjabis are still much more divided than Bengalis. When you just say "Bengal", it makes it seem like all of Bengal is in India, which is not true. That's what Eastern Punjabis do, they say "Punjab" but then put a map of Eastern Punjab next to it. It's not good, we need to rise above these communal divisions.