‘Dirty, black like a Trinamool councillor’: Dilip Ghosh faces backlash over remark on water crisis

BJP leader Dilip Ghosh has triggered a fresh political controversy after making a racially insensitive remark during an election campaign in Kharagpur Sadar amid the ongoing West Bengal Assembly Elections 2026. While addressing local issues, particularly water scarcity, Ghosh said that water, when available, is “dirty” and “black, just like a Trinamool councillor,” drawing sharp criticism from political opponents.

The comment came during a campaign event where Ghosh, accompanied by his wife Rinku Majumdar, was interacting with voters and highlighting civic concerns. While raising the issue of irregular and poor-quality water supply in the area, he made the controversial comparison, which has since sparked widespread backlash, especially from leaders and workers of the All India Trinamool Congress.

Ghosh further alleged widespread corruption in the region, claiming that “black money is everywhere” and asserting that bringing Narendra Modi to power would resolve such issues. His remarks, however, shifted focus away from policy criticism to the tone and nature of his language, intensifying the political confrontation between the BJP and the ruling party.

A senior figure credited with expanding the BJP’s presence in West Bengal, Ghosh had recently faced internal challenges within his party but has been re-nominated from Kharagpur Sadar ahead of the elections. His latest statement has added to the charged political atmosphere, with the ruling party strongly condemning the remark as offensive and inappropriate during a crucial election period.