Tagore's ode is state song, Poila Baisakh marked as Bangla Divas : Bengal reverberates with mixed reaction to new State song

For the first time, a State Song reverberated across West Bengal on January 2 as it saw the inauguration of Students’ Week in all its educational institutions, perhaps the first official event to be held ever since the order was issued last weekend making its singing compulsory. Last month, the song was sung during the inauguration of 

Krishnendu Bandyopadhyay & Debashish Konar / TNN / Jan 1, 2024/ KOLKATA: The Bengal government on Saturday notified Tagore's 1905 ode to Bengal, Banglar Mati, Banglar Jal as a state song and Poila Baisakh, the first day of the Bengali calendar, as Bangla Divas

A two-page notification issued by state chief secretary H K Dwivedi said the one-minute-59-second song had to be played compulsorily at the start of any ceremony/function and the national anthem at the conclusion of the event.

The notification also says that like the national anthem, the state song has to be played with due respect, with people in a standing position, and that its mass singing should be encouraged. 

The notification also says that Bangla Divas shall be celebrated with "dignity and respect" every year. These steps were necessitated "considering the rich glory, culture and heritage" of Bengal, it adds.

The Bengal assembly, on September 7, had passed a resolution to this effect. It was passed by a 167-62 majority, with BJP MLAs opposing it.

The assembly resolution to mark the Bengali New Year as Bangla Divas was to oppose the Centre's proposal to observe June 20 as the state foundation day. The Bengal Legislative Assembly on June 20, 1947, had resolved that West Bengal would remain with India.

Chief minister Mamata Banerjee had spoken out against this and had written to Raj Bhavan, saying "since Independence, we in West Bengal have never rejoiced over, or commemorated, or celebrated, any day as the Foundation Day of West Bengal. Rather, we have seen the Partition as a result of the unleashing of communal forces that could not be resisted at that point of time. " She had written that Partition was "a tragic destiny for the people of Bengal."

After raj Bhavan went ahead with the celebrations on June 20, the state assembly chose to propose Tagore's celebrated song 'Banglar Mati, Banglar Jal', which he had penned in support of the Bangabhanga Rodh movement to oppose Bengal's partition.

Sources said 13 states, including Gujarat, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Bihar, Odisha and Assam, already had state songs.

BJP had argued that the government's proposal - to mark a Bangla Divas and have a state song - would meet the same fate as the proposals passed by the state assembly to rename West Bengal, but chief minister Mamata Banerjee had argued that this wasn't a bill that required assent by the governor, or the Centre.

On December 5, the song was sung during the inauguration of the Kolkata International Film Festival, with several national and international guests in attendance.

"This official notification is a culmination of a long process, which was announced earlier by the CM," said Trinamool spokesperson Kunal Ghosh. "She had not only consulted stakeholders on this issue but solicited views from people and even held a meeting in this regard. This decision lends voice to a decision affirmed by the people of Bengal." 

Responding to BJP's attack that this was akin to declaring "a state within a state," Ghosh said: "Several other states have their state songs.",