Kolkata: The Biswa Bangla logo has been removed from the tower at the trade ground Milan Mela, which was rechristened Biswa Bangla Mela Prangan by the erstwhile Mamata Banerjee government. West Bengal Trade Promotion Organisation managing director Vandana Yadav said the logo displayed on a circular LED screen atop the 60-meter-tall tower at the trade ground was replaced by the National Flag following an order from the new government. The LED mesh sphere where the logo was displayed is 6 meters in diameter.
Government Order for Removal
A KMDA official said the new government instructed that the logo be removed from all places. "If it is in the form of a metal or concrete structure, it will be taken off. On the other hand, if it is painted on a surface, it will be painted over. Posters with the logo will also be removed," the official explained.
Other Instances of Removal
The logo has already been taken off a globe installed at the nearby roundabout at the intersection of Bypass and Park Circus Connector. Earlier, the island had a sculpture titled Paroma by artist Shanu Lahiri. Installed in 1987 and inaugurated by former governor Prof Nurul Hasan, it became so popular that the roundabout came to be known as Paroma island. Paroma was removed when the arms of the Maa flyover were being constructed and disappeared thereafter. The globe was installed in 2014.
The logo was also replaced by the Ashoka emblem on Egiye Bangla, the government website featuring various departments. The logo has also been removed from official letterheads, including that of the chief minister's.
Government's Stance
The government made it clear that a logo created by an individual has no role and that the Ashoka emblem is the highest symbol of the government. The Biswa Bangla logo was used to promote the state's traditional arts and handicrafts.
Controversy Surrounding the Logo
The logo got embroiled in a controversy in 2017 when the then MLA Mukul Roy alleged that Abhishek Banerjee owned it and that it was not a government entity. Banerjee later sent Roy a legal notice. Former Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee then said in the Assembly that she had created it and gave the state permission to use it without charging any royalty. She also said the Bengal government could use the logo, and if it chose not to use it someday, the logo would revert to her.
