Archive · 11 Oct 2026
KMC Revises Bengali Poster After TMC’s Hindi Imposition Criticism
Kolkata’s city government shared a poster about cleaning the city for Durga Puja.
Its slogan mixed Bengali and Hindi words.
The All India Trinamool Congress said the wording hurt Bengali and accused the BJP-led state government of imposing Hindi.
Abhishek Banerjee and Kunal Ghosh also criticized the poster.
The KMC later changed the main slogan to a Bengali sentence with the same meaning.
However, the words “Swachhata Se Swagat” remained at the top of the new poster.
The campaign was planned for October 10 to 21.
It asked people to help keep the city clean.
The Kolkata Municipal Corporation posted a Durga Puja cleanliness campaign slogan mixing Bengali and Hindi.
The drive was scheduled for October 10 to 21 and asked residents to help keep Kolkata clean.
The Mamata Banerjee-led All India Trinamool Congress accused the BJP-led West Bengal government of imposing Hindi and distorting Bengali.
Abhishek Banerjee questioned the wording, while Kunal Ghosh demanded corrections to the poster.
The KMC later changed the slogan to a Bengali sentence, but retained “Swachhata Se Swagat” at the top of the new poster.
- Who
- The Kolkata Municipal Corporation, the Mamata Banerjee-led All India Trinamool Congress, and party figures Abhishek Banerjee and Kunal Ghosh.
- What
- The KMC revised a Durga Puja cleanliness poster after TMC criticized its Bengali-Hindi slogan as Hindi imposition and distortion of Bengali.
- When
- The campaign was scheduled for October 10 to 21; the articles report the criticism and subsequent poster change on Sunday and October 11.
- Where
- Kolkata, West Bengal.
- Why
- TMC objected to the slogan’s mix of Bengali and Hindi phrases.
TMC’s criticism
KMC campaign and revision
Mixed-language slogan
TMC’s criticism
TMC said the Bengali-Hindi wording distorted Bengali and accused the BJP-led government of imposing Hindi.
KMC campaign and revision
The poster presented the phrase as part of a campaign to welcome Goddess Durga with a clean city; the KMC later changed the main slogan to a Bengali sentence.
Response to criticism
TMC’s criticism
Abhishek Banerjee questioned the wording, and Kunal Ghosh called for it to be deleted or corrected.
KMC campaign and revision
The KMC changed the main slogan but retained “Swachhata Se Swagat” at the top of the revised poster.
- Civic body
- Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC)
- Campaign dates
- October 10 to 21
- Campaign purpose
- Clean the city ahead of Goddess Durga’s arrival
- Original slogan
- “Mayer korbo Swacchata Se Swagat”
- Revised slogan
- “Swachhatar sathe Maa ke swagata janai”
- Change to new poster
- The original “Swachhata Se Swagat” was retained at the top
- TMC response
- The party accused the BJP-led state government of imposing Hindi and distorting Bengali
