Archive · 13 Aug 2026
BJP's Samik Bhattacharya Seeks Renaming West Bengal as Paschim Banga
In India, a big group of leaders called Parliament makes laws.
One of these leaders, Samik Bhattacharya, works there for a political party called the BJP.
He asked that the state of West Bengal get a new name: Paschim Banga.
He said the old name has a lot of history, because the state was created long ago, on June 20, 1947, for Bengali Hindus.
He said calling it just 'Bengal' would be disrespectful to the people who fought for their own state.
The leaders were also talking about a bill to give the state of Kerala a new name, Keralam.
Mr. Bhattacharya said that was a good idea and praised the leaders who helped with it.
He also talked about a famous song called Vande Mataram, which some people have said is full of hatred.
He said he supports giving the city of Patna its old name, Patliputra, too.
BJP Rajya Sabha member Samik Bhattacharya demanded that West Bengal be renamed 'Paschim Banga' during a debate on the Kerala (Alteration of Name) Bill, 2026.
He welcomed the Bill, which proposes renaming Kerala as Keralam, and credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah for facilitating the move.
Bhattacharya said West Bengal's name is linked to its creation on June 20, 1947, under Syama Prasad Mukherjee, and that dropping 'West' would insult those who fought for a separate state for Bengali Hindus.
He cited an autobiography by CPI founder member Muzaffar Ahmed describing Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay's Vande Mataram and Anandamath as 'full of hatred,' which he called unacceptable for a Muslim like him.
He supported renaming Bihar's capital Patna as Patliputra and a railway station in Nalanda district named Bakhtiyarpur; Rashtriya Lok Morcha member Upendra Kushwaha also backed the Patliputra demand.
- Who
- Samik Bhattacharya, BJP Rajya Sabha member, in a debate also joined by Upendra Kushwaha and other lawmakers
- What
- Demanded West Bengal be renamed 'Paschim Banga' and supported renaming Patna as Patliputra while welcoming the Kerala (Alteration of Name) Bill, 2026
- When
- Wednesday, August 12, 2026
- Where
- Rajya Sabha, New Delhi
- Why
- He argued West Bengal's name is historically tied to the state's creation in 1947 for Bengali Hindus, and that renaming it 'Bengal' would insult those who fought for a separate state
Supporters of renaming
Defenders of current names and symbols
West Bengal's official name
Supporters of renaming
West Bengal should be renamed 'Paschim Banga' because the name reflects the state's creation on June 20, 1947, and renaming it as just 'Bengal' would insult those who fought for a separate state for Bengali Hindus.
Defenders of current names and symbols
Previous attempts were made to rename the state simply as 'Bengal' when the previous Trinamool Congress government enjoyed a majority in the state assembly.
Vande Mataram
Supporters of renaming
Bhattacharya, citing CPI founder member Muzaffar Ahmed's autobiography, said Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay's Vande Mataram and Anandamath are 'full of hatred,' which he called unacceptable for a Muslim like him.
Defenders of current names and symbols
Bhattacharya acknowledged that Bengal has witnessed both the birth of Vande Mataram and opposition to it, indicating the song has long had defenders as well as critics.
- Speaker
- Samik Bhattacharya, BJP Rajya Sabha member
- Demand
- Rename West Bengal as 'Paschim Banga'
- Forum
- Rajya Sabha debate
- Bill under discussion
- Kerala (Alteration of Name) Bill, 2026
- Kerala's proposed new name
- Keralam
- Historical basis cited
- West Bengal created June 20, 1947, under Syama Prasad Mukherjee
- Related demands
- Rename Patna as Patliputra; rename Bakhtiyarpur railway station
- Contested literary works
- Vande Mataram and Anandamath described as 'full of hatred' by Muzaffar Ahmed (cited by Bhattacharya)
