Advertisement in ‘Ganashakti’ Sparks Debate: Kunal Criticizes, Shamik Responds

An advertisement featured in the CPIM’s mouthpiece ‘Ganashakti’ during Durga Puja has sparked a debate on social media, with Trinamool Congress spokesperson Kunal Ghosh raising strong objections. On Saturday, Ghosh shared a picture of the newspaper’s front page on social media, criticizing the presence of a Puja-related advertisement. He accused the CPIM of hypocrisy, stating, “This is hypocrisy. You can’t sell your soul for money.”

In response, Ganashakti’s editor Shamik Lahiri defended the newspaper’s decision, saying, “Kunal is a journalist himself. He knows how advertising works in newspapers. He is making misleading statements just to stay in the limelight.”

Ahead of Durga Puja, almost all newspapers feature festival-related advertisements. The controversy erupted over a shoe advertisement in Saturday’s Ganashakti with the message, “Celebrate Durga Puja with pride.” This led Ghosh to question how the official organ of a party that is known for its atheist stance could carry such a message.

Ghosh posted on social media, quoting the advertisement: “‘Celebrate Durga Puja with pride.’ This is a jacket advertisement on the front page of Ganashakti, the CPIM’s mouthpiece. The party that doesn’t believe in God is now carrying a Puja ad in its paper for money. Comrades, this is a party paper, not a commercial one. You can’t sell your soul for money. This is hypocrisy.”

The central issue Ghosh raised is whether the party has strayed from its principles for financial gain.

In his rebuttal, Lahiri emphasized that Ghosh, being part of the media industry, is well aware of the functioning of newspaper advertisements. He accused Ghosh of deliberately making confusing statements to attract public attention. Lahiri maintained that the inclusion of the advertisement did not compromise the party’s ideals.