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.

Indian football is in crisis. There is nothing clear yet about whether the Indian Super League (ISL) will take place or not. The holding of the ISL is surrounded by uncertainties, due to which Indian and international football players have urged FIFA to try to resolve the situation of India’s franchise-based tournament. Gurpreet Singh Sandhu, Sandesh Jhingan and Sunil Chhetri have also publicly requested FIFA to intervene to improve the situation of football in the country.

Sunil Chhetri said, “It is the month of January and we should have been seen on your TV screens playing in the Indian Super League.” On the other hand, Gurpreet said that instead of playing in ISL, the players are full of fear and frustration at this time. Taking his point further, Sunil Chhetri also said that players, staff and fans should also be given clarity on this subject.

Last Thursday, the All India Football Federation (AIFF) received letters from almost all the ISL franchises that they are ready to participate in the tournament, but their participation will depend on satisfactory financial and governance assurances provided by the AIFF.

The ISL football clubs further stated that their continued participation in the tournament is dependent on the AIFF’s assurance that there will be no league administrative fees related to participation in the tournament and that the AIFF will take full financial responsibility for the operating costs incurred due to the shortened season. The Indian Super League was established in the year 2013 and its last season was in 2024-25.

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Indian Super League Club Bangalore FC has stopped the salary of all his players including Sunil Chhetri, taking a difficult decision. The club issued an official statement about this and said that it will not give salary to the players and support staff for some time. The club urged AIFF and FSDL to abolish the deadlock as soon as possible and said that for the future of Indian football, it is very important for the early solution.

Bangalore FC said in its statement, “Given the uncertainty of the future of the Indian Super League season, the Bengaluru Football Club has made a very difficult decision to suspend the salary of the first team’s players and support staff indefinitely. Running and maintaining a football club in India has always been a difficult task, which we have always completed in every season. We had no other way than to take this step due to the deficiency.

The club said in its statement that this will not affect the players playing in BFC Soccer School. He said, “The club is committed to enhancing and developing sports and its operations with its young teams (male and female), and BFC Soccer Schools will be unaffected by this decision.”

pic.twitter.com/idldnghjh3

– Bengaluru FC (@Bengalurufc) August 4, 2025

Why did Bangalore FC stop Sunil Chhetri and all the players’ salary?

This situation has arisen due to differences between AIFF and Football Sports Development Limited. The club further said, “We urge AIFF (All India Football Federation) and FSDL (Football Sports Development Limited) to finish this deadlock as soon as possible. There is no benefit from this uncertainty, and the early solution is very important for the future of Indian football.