WB Assembly Budget session begins with state song

Kolkata, Feb 8 (PTI) The West Bengal Assembly Budget session began on Thursday amid chaos over the state song being played and BJP legislators singing the national anthem simultaneously.

Speaker Biman Banerjee after entering the House instructed officials to play the state song "Banglar Mati Banglar Jal" before the beginning of the state budget session.

As the song was being played, BJP legislators stood up and started singing the national anthem.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee condemned the BJP for insulting the national anthem.

"National anthem is being played at the end. The BJP singing the national anthem when the state song is being played is an insult to the national anthem, " Banerjee said.

BJP MLA Agnimitra Paul, however, countered and said the national anthem is always both the beginning and the end of any government programme or budget session.

The West Bengal government last month had issued a notification declaring Poila Boisakh, the first day of the Bengali New Year, as the State Day and the song "Banglar Mati Banglar Jal" written by Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore as the state song. PTI PNT DC RG