With Tokyo Olympics 2020 being the flavour of the season, Mamata Banerjee too evoked the inner ‘athlete’ in her, giving some of the world’s best dribblers a run for their money. The West Bengal CM today tried her ‘hand’ at football when she visited Netaji Indoor Stadium, Kolkata on August 2 (Monday), to launch the ‘Khela Hobe’ program, a state government’s flagship scheme for the youth.
In a video of the event shared by News agency ANI, the TMC supremo could be seen dribbling and flinging a football like a ‘pro’. Mamata Banerjee, in an exemplary display of talent, was seen tossing the ball in the air, before catching it and throwing it towards her audience.
As seen in the snippet shared by ANI, Mamata Banerjee does not stop after performing the stunt once, but, tirelessly, continues doing it for quite some time, with her subordinates coming to her rescue every time she makes a slip-up.
#WATCH | West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee dribbling a football during launch of “Khela Hobe” program at Netaji Indoor Stadium,Kolkata. She says, ” Believe it or not, “Khela Hobe” has become very popular. The slogan was raised in Parliament too, soon it’ll be popular across India.” pic.twitter.com/xDZYGtQKAD
— ANI (@ANI) August 2, 2021
Despite her confidence and body language, this new avatar of the West Bengal CM became fodder for netizens who flooded the microblogging website with hilarious memes and jokes mocking the WB CM.
One of the Twitter users alluded that Mamata Banerjee might be a threat to legendary footballer Ronaldo’s career.
Ronaldo be like –
— Sanskar Rao🇮🇳 (@SanskarBarot) August 2, 2021
Toh mai kya karu Job Chod du?? pic.twitter.com/cZKtneKsrM
From a polyglot to an IT Expert to an outstanding sportsperson to an actor par excellence, Twitter user @GoliKaBhai stated how ‘multitalented’ the West Bengal CM is.
She is multitalented.
— Capsule💊 (@GoliKaBhai) August 2, 2021
Knows Different Language -RambaThambaBumbaa.
IT Expert – w.w.w..com
Excellent Sports Person – Plays Basketball with Football.
Great actor-Acted out the whole injury.
Top Mercenary-Responsible for a near genocide.
Congratulations Bangladesh for choosing her❤️
“Legend,” remarked a Netizen, complimenting Mamata Banerjee for her never seen before talent.
Playing handball with football. Legend !
— chacha monk (@oldschoolmonk) August 2, 2021
While another said: “we’ll be able to bid for next FIFA event basis this only, basic equipment is thrown at people, remaining is to assemble players out of this crowd”.
we’ll be able to bid for next FIFA event basis this only,
— T Rex (@9to5walaguy) August 2, 2021
basic equipment is thrown at people, remaining is to assemble players out of this crowd
It is pertinent to note here that after announcing to commemorate her election slogan- Khela Hobe, in the form of ‘Khela Hobe Diwas‘, Mamata Banerjee has now turned the slogan into the state government’s flagship scheme for the youth.
Under the scheme, the state sports and youth affairs department will hand more than one lakh footballs to various sporting clubs. Even the ones registered with the IFA will get 10 footballs each, the CM has announced.
Written by Debangshu Bhattacharya, Mamata Banerjee had coined the term ‘Khela hobe’ (we will have a match) as Trinamool Congress’ election slogan, ahead of the West Bengal Vidhan Sabha polls.
‘Khela Hobe’ and the weaponisation of political violence
Initially, the slogan appeared as a harmless jibe against the opposition but soon started to showcase its true colours. But soon, TMC members made a wall painting in Bengal wherein Mamata Banerjee was seen hitting PM Modi’s head instead of a football. During her election rallies, the West Bengal Chief Minister continued to provoke her party workers to retaliate against the central armed forces and BJP workers. Several instances of violence were thus reported during the various stages of polling and have continued ever since.
