'Bengal will observe foundation day on Poila Boishakh,' says Mamata Banerjee; Suvendu fumes

Passing the bill, Mamata announced her government will celebrate the foundation day on Bengali New Year or Poila Boishakh (April 15) even if Governor CV Ananda Bose, who is at loggerheads with the State, disapproves it.

In reference to Suvendu's speech, Mamata said, "We don't care whether the Governor approves or not. We will celebrate foundation day on Poila Boishakh.

"Let me see whose power is more, the people of a nominated person. I wouldn't have said this had the Governor not been dragged into the discussion."

Mamata's response comes after Suvendu, whose party Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) backs June 20 as the statehood day, says he would ask the Governor not to approve the government's pitch.

"This resolution will have the same fate as the one unsuccessfully moved by the government in renaming the state and in many other cases," Suvendu, who defeated Mamata in the 2021 polls from Nandigram, said.

Citing the reason behind opposing June 20, which the Centre has proposed to make the foundation day, the Chief Minister said the date reminds people of the partition of Bengal.

Mamata has announced Nobel Laureate Rabindranath Tagore's "Banglar Mati, Banglar Jol" as the official song of West Bengal.

The government resolution, which was moved by West Bengal top ministers Sobhandeb Chattopadhyay and Shashi Panja, was passed easily by the government, which enjoys a landslide majority in the assembly.