Netas prove satire still has a place in Bengal politics
Times of India | 3 September 2025
Kolkata: Satire is not completely lost on Bengal politics.
A performance clip of actor Anirban Bhattacharya's Bengali band, ‘Hooliganism', has gone viral. In the clip, he made humorous jibes at three Ghoshs of Bengal politics — Trinamool Congress spokesperson Kunal Ghosh, former BJP Bengal president Dilip Ghosh and CPM state committee member Shatarup Ghosh.
The politicians, in turn, appreciated Bhattacharya's satire and felt that political satire and humour are part of a healthy political environment.
In a performance at the Milan Mela ground on Sunday, Hooliganism started with a jibe at Trinamool's former Rajya Sabha MP, Kunal Ghosh. The Trinamool neta, very expressive with his regular media interactions, was mentioned in the song for becoming angry with the lyric that mocks the connection of promoters and politicians.
Ghosh himself shared the clip on his social media profile and said, "I liked it and found it funny. I liked the way he presented it and the content. It is definitely satirical, but there is no harm in having a good laugh," Kunal said.
Bhattacharya, in his performance, also scoffed at BJP's former national vice president Dilip Ghosh's comment on traces of gold found in milk.
Ghosh, who referred to Arun Jaitley's love for humour and satire in politics, said that there were several satirical pieces on former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.
"Laloo Prasad Yadav's comments were a constant source of joy and laughter for decades, and he himself appreciated that. There are even humorous pieces aimed at Vajpayeeji and Modiji. If it is not bordering on any insult, there is no harm in that. There are comedians who mimic celebrities and popular faces. If satire, comedy, and humour are part of a healthy society, it can be there in politics, too," Dilip told TOI.
Shatarup did not agree with the content of the satire but said that such satires should be encouraged even if politicians don't agree with them.
Bhattacharya's song took a dig at an expensive SUV he owns.
Shatarup, a communist, has often been in the headlines for owning the SUV. The song also mentioned Ghosh's frequent appearances on television.
"Thespian Utpal Dutt's play ‘Kallol' was a critical take on politics, and he was jailed for several months. Many in the Indian People's Theatre Association used satire and humour as a weapon to deliver strong popular messages. I am happy that he had a humorous jab at me, although we might differ on political ideologies. But a democracy can only thrive when it does not stifle satire and humour," Shatarup said.