On Thursday, CPM youth leader Minakshi Mukherjee made another public blunder while delivering a speech at Dharmatala. While discussing the famous “Bengal Tiger” Sir Ashutosh Mukherjee, she mistakenly referred to him as “Ashutosh Banerjee,” leading to murmurs among the audience. This comes after a similar incident on January 7 at the Brigade rally, where she lost track of a poem she was reciting.
Mukherjee’s misstep occurred while she was responding to Kolkata Mayor Firhad Hakim’s comment following the bail of Anubrata Mondal. Hakim had said, “The Bengal Tiger is coming out, and now the opposition will flee.” In her speech, Minakshi referred to this, saying, “A cow smuggling accused has received bail! They are calling him the Bengal Tiger. We know the Bengal Tiger as Sir Ashutosh Banerjee, not some cow smuggler.” However, she inadvertently switched the last name from “Mukherjee” to “Banerjee,” which did not go unnoticed by the crowd.
Despite the error, Mukherjee’s speech focused on the ongoing left-wing protests, demanding justice and continuing the movement even during the upcoming festive season. She also urged the police officers to follow written orders rather than verbal directives, warning them about the consequences using the example of the Tala Thana OC’s situation.
Earlier in the day, Congress leader Adhir Chowdhury made a surprise appearance at the rally, offering support to the CPM’s protest. From the Congress platform, he applauded Minakshi and her team for taking control of the streets. Minakshi, in turn, expressed solidarity with the Congress, signaling a desire for unity despite no formal alliance.
The rally saw a significant turnout, even amidst adverse weather, highlighting the determination of the Left parties to continue their agitation.