West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee questioned the recent trend of calling India only by its ancient name, Bharat. She asked what had suddenly happened that the country needed to be renamed. Banerjee's comments came in the wake of a controversy over a G20 dinner invite that was sent in the name of "President of Bharat". The invite was later withdrawn after it sparked outrage.
"I heard that India's name is being changed. The G20 invite that went out in the name of the honourable president has Bharat written on it. We call the country Bharat, what is new in this? In English, we say India. There's nothing new to be done. The world knows us as India. What happened suddenly that the name of the country needs to be changed?" she asked, addressing a government function here.
"History is being rewritten in the country," she added.
The G20 Summit, a meeting of the world's major economies, is being held in Delhi on September 9 and 10. The summit is being hosted by India, and several heads of state from across the world, including US President Joe Biden, are attending.
Mamata slams WB Guv over appointing VCs
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has accused Governor CV Ananda Bose of holding back bills passed by the state assembly. She said that the governor's actions are an attempt to paralyze state administration and that he cannot hold back finance bills. She also said that she would sit on dharna outside the Raj Bhavan if need be.
"The governor's actions are an attempt to paralyse state administration. He cannot hold back finance bills," she said. "If need be, I will sit on dharna outside the Raj Bhavan," she added.
Banerjee also accused the governor of interfering in the functioning of schools, colleges, and universities in the state. She said that if the governor continues to interfere in the functioning of universities, she will block the funds.
"If the governor continues to interfere in the functioning of universities, we will block the funds," she said.
The governor, in his capacity as the chancellor of state-run universities, had on Sunday night appointed interim vice-chancellors for seven varsities, including the prestigious Presidency University, MAKAUT, and the University of Burdwan.
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