‘I made a mistake, forgive me Madam’: Kalighat hoardings spark political row ahead of EC visit

Controversial hoardings in the Kalighat area of Kolkata have triggered a fresh political storm ahead of the upcoming Assembly elections. The posters, installed in Ward No. 83 shortly before the visit of the full bench of the Election Commission, depict Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar as a cartoon character lying on the ground with the message: “I made a mistake, please forgive me Madam.”

The poster shows a clenched fist of a woman grabbing the cartoon figure, with the word “Baghini” written on the hand. The symbol is widely being interpreted as a reference to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, while the blue-and-white sari shown in the image is seen as an indication of the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC).

The hoardings have quickly become a topic of intense political debate, further heating up the election atmosphere in the city. Political circles believe the posters are linked to the ongoing controversy surrounding the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the voter list issued by the Election Commission. Mamata Banerjee had earlier staged a dharna questioning the role of the Commission.

Defending the posters, local TMC councillor Prabir Mukhopadhyay said they symbolise resistance rather than personal insult. According to him, the hoardings represent the protest of Bengal’s mothers and daughters against what the party describes as attempts to create confusion and instability in the state.

The BJP, however, strongly condemned the posters and described them as an insult to constitutional institutions. BJP councillor Sajal Ghosh said such depictions of the Election Commission reflect the ruling party’s frustration and fear of defeat, accusing the Trinamool Congress of crossing constitutional limits.