By Admin 
Union Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya, while talking about the Indian Super League (ISL), misspelled the name of Kolkata’s famous football club Mohun Bagan. Instead of ‘Mohan Bagan’, he pronounced it as ‘Mohan Baingan’, which sounds like brinjal in Hindi. Similarly, he also called East Bengal as ‘East Brinjal’. The video of this mistake went viral and Trinamool Congress (TMC) made fun of it.
Mandaviya spoke wrongly in ISL press conference
In a press conference on the night of 6 January 2026, Mansukh Mandaviya said, ‘We have decided that ISL will start from 14 February and all our clubs will participate in it. Football is progressing in the country. Good players are available from the league. ISL will be organized for this purpose.
But while speaking the names of big clubs like Mohun Bagan and East Bengal, the minister stopped several times, asked for help and still said ‘Mohun Bagan’ and ‘East Bengal’. This video quickly went viral on social media.
TMC made fun of Mandaviya by taunting him.
TMC targeted the minister by posting on X on Wednesday. He wrote, ‘The Union Sports Minister has once again shown the anti-Bengal thinking of BJP. They distorted the names of our most respected football clubs – calling Mohun Bagan as ‘Mohun Baingan’ and East Bengal as ‘East Baingan’.
TMC further wrote, ‘For Bengalis, Mohun Bagan and East Bengal are symbols of identity and pride. We have been living and dying in this game for more than 100 years. Celebrate when you win and feel sad when you lose. But BJP people see Bengal only from ‘anti-Bengali’ perspective. They cannot even pronounce these holy names properly. For them, everything related to Bengal is just a joke and ignorance.
The post made fun by writing ‘It’s not baigan’. TMC linked it to BJP’s ‘anti-Bengal arrogance’.
The Union Sports Minister in @narendramodi‘s Cabinet, @mansukhmandviyacannot even pronounce the names of Bengal’s century-old iconic football clubs with the respect they deserve.
It is not “Mohan Baingan.” It is Mohun Bagan.
It is not “East Eggplant.” It is East Bengal.These… pic.twitter.com/ocXh2ZDSl2
— All India Trinamool Congress (@AITCofficial) January 7, 2026
What is the importance of Mohun Bagan and East Bengal?
Both these clubs are from Kolkata and are among the oldest football clubs in India. Mohun Bagan was established in 1889. It created history by defeating the British team in 1911. Whereas, East Bengal started in 1920. Both the clubs are part of the culture, pride and identity of Bengal. For football fans, it is not just the team, it is emotions.
Mandaviya trolled fiercely on social media
After Mandaviya’s video went viral, football fans and TMC supporters trolled him fiercely. Congress also made fun of it. However, no response has yet come from the minister or the Sports Ministry. This incident has become the cause of new controversy between BJP-TMC in the election environment of West Bengal. This case shows how sensitive an issue football is in Bengal.