In West Bengal’s capital, the state government has ordered that the anthem “Banglar Mati, Banglar Jol” be sung in every state‑run and state‑aided school each morning. The move has sparked a new clash between the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) and its hill partner, the Bharatiya Gorkha Prajatantrik Morcha (BGPM).
The BGPM, which runs the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) in Darjeeling, Kurseong and Kalimpong, says the order forces Bengali onto hill students. Most kids in these areas speak Gorkhali or Hindi, and the party argues the directive erodes their linguistic and cultural identity.
The second objection comes from the GTA’s insistence on local autonomy. The GTA’s chief executive, Anit Thapa, told reporters that the order will not apply to schools under its administration. “GTA is independent and autonomous,” he said. “Decision on morning prayer stays with each school, and the state anthem won’t be imposed here.”
Thapa reminded that the north‑Bengal hills have a rich tradition of diverse languages and religions. “Every school has its own prayer or song before the national anthem, and that tradition will continue,” he added. The GTA will not mix the state anthem with its local morning rites.
The BGPM has been allied with the TMC since its lands sweep in the 2022 GTA elections. The state anthem, written by Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore, was officially adopted in 2023 by a West Bengal Assembly resolution. The new policy is therefore being fought over more than a song—it is about who controls cultural education in the hills and the capital alike.
Source: ianslive
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