Mamata Banerjee urges people to stand up and sing state song

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday urged people to stand up and sing whenever Rabindranath Tagores Banglar Mati, Banglar Jol Bengals soil, Bengals water, the state song, is played.

Kolkata: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday urged people to stand up and sing whenever Rabindranath Tagore's Banglar Mati, Banglar Jol (Bengals soil, Bengals water), the state song, is played.

State song to be played at all state-organised programmes

Speaking at the inauguration of a museum at the basement of the Platinum Jubilee Memorial building at the West Bengal Legislative Assembly, Banerjee said that starting from Tuesday's Kolkata International Film Festival (KIFF), the song would be played at all state-organised programmes.

"Just like the national anthem, I will request you to stand up whenever the state song is sung. We will do the same at tomorrow's inaugural function of the film festival," she said.

West Bengal assembly had passed a resolution

The West Bengal assembly had, in September, passed a resolution to observe Polia Baisakh - Bengali New Year Day - as the state day and Tagore's Banglar Mati, Banglar Jol (Bengals soil, Bengals water) as the state song.

Banerjee requested authorities to install statues

Lauding the museum at the assembly, Banerjee requested authorities to install statues of Rabindranath Tagore, Nazrul Islam, and B R Ambedkar. She also highlighted that the partition of Bengal in 1905 was circumstantial.

"This museum is a historical one. It will be of great help to students and those who are studying Bengal's history, the chief minister said. I will tell all those who speak ill of the Bengal partition that it was circumstantial and not close to our hearts," she added.