‘It is not Baigan’: TMC, Congress mock Union sports minister Mandaviya over Mohun Bagan gaffe

India's sports minister Mansukh Mandaviya faced sarcastic reactions for mispronouncing football club Mohun Bagan's name during a press conference.

Updated on: Jan 7, 2026, 16:18:52 IST

By HT News Desk

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Union sports minister Mansukh Mandaviya invited trolling with his mispronunciation of Kolkata-based Indian professional football club Mohun Bagan, a blooper that was made during a press conference, clips of which went viral on Wednesday.

Union sports minister Mansukh Mandaviya during an event in Delhi (@mansukhmandviya X)

Mansukh Mandaviya could be seen struggling to pronounce Mohun Bagan correctly - ending up saying a word which sounded like "baigan" - what the vegetable eggplant is called in Hindi.

The minor blooper was enough for the West Bengal's ruling party Trinamool Congress (TMC) to mock the union minister and fix his pronunciation.

'The Union Sports Minister in cannot even pronounce the names of Bengal's century-old iconic football clubs with the respect they deserve," read an X post from the official handle of TMC.

"It is not "मोहन बैंगन." It is Mohun Bagan. It is not "ईस्ट बैंगन." It is East Bengal," the post read.

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Saurabh Bharadwaj also took a dig, saying our sports minister “does not know the name of one of the most prestigious football club in India”, sarcastically remarking that this shows their love for Bengal - the state due for assembly elections this year.

“Meet the Central Govt’s Sports Minister of India… He can’t pronounce “Mohan Bagan” ( It’s not some dish made of egg plant like “मोहन के बैंगन”)… Our sport Minsiter does of know the name of one of the most prestigious football club in India.. That’s how desperately they love Bengal [sic],” Saurabh Bharadwaj wrote on X.

Congress leader Shama Mohamed described the blooper a "complete disaster for Indian sports".

“India’s sports minister @mansukhmandviya does not even know the name of iconic football club Mohun Bagan. He can't even pronounce East Bengal Fc ! This is the level of competence in the cabinet chosen by @narendramodi,” she said in a post on X.

“A complete disaster for Indian sports!” the post read.

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HT News Desk
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