Mohun Bagan’s (from left) Sangram Mukherjee, Bhaichung Bhutia, coach Karim Bencharifa, P. C. Lalawmpuiya and S. James Singh at a flag hoisting ceremony at their club tent on Saturday. A Telegraph picture

Calcutta: Barely had the dust settled on Mohun Bagan’s Sahara CFL Premier Division title win when club secretary Anjan Mitra’s comments on Saturday morning, at a celebration ceremony in the club premises, sparked controversy.

Asked about his reactions on Mohun Bagan and East Bengal fans clashing on Friday during the derby at the Salt Lake Stadium, Mitra said that the problem lies in the communal nature of the names of some of the city-based clubs.

Mitra said: “The names of clubs like East Bengal and Mohammedan Sporting are communal in nature, especially in today’s context.”

Mitra clarified to The Telegraph in the evening that names like East Bengal and Mohammedan Sporting, which emphasises their specific regional origins or religious beliefs, were used during the British reign in India and hence should no longer stand in the present century.

“East Bengal then referred to people from a specific region of India, but how is it relevant now as the name of an Indian football club? It’s the same scenario with Mohammedan Sporting.”

The Mohun Bagan secretary further added that the government or parent bodies like the IFA could perhaps think of renaming such clubs and therefore erasing the colonial and communal hangover associated with them. This, he said, would help purge acts of hooliganism, and encourage clean football. “We are all for football of course and perhaps an act like this could be beneficial.”

The comments made by Mitra drew strong reactions from the two clubs in question. East Bengal secretary Kalyan Majumdar termed Mitra’s comments as “unfortunate”.

“What can I say? This is an unfortunate comment. Only someone who does not have any idea about what a community is, can make such comments,” Majumdar said.

“He should remember that he is talking about clubs that are old and have a glorious history. Mohun Bagan claim to be the big brother of the Big Three… And look at their comments.”

Mohammedan Sporting officials too slammed Mitra for his statement pointing out their club’s history and tradition. Coach Shabbir Ali said, “Our religion is football, there’s no question of communalism… There were no questions raised about communalism, all these years, then why today all of a sudden.”

India Football Association (IFA) secretary Utpal Ganguly said: “I have not heard his actual comment, if indeed he has made such a statement it’s absolutely uncalled for… It’s extremely unfortunate… That too from a secretary of a reputed club like Mohun Bagan.” Ganguly, though, said that it’s still too early to talk about disciplinary actions against Mitra.

Examples of football clubs and their supporters holding on to their regional roots are not uncommon at all, a case in point would be Athletic Bilbao and their policy of refusing to sign non-Basque players.

But rarely has such charges of communalism been made against football in Bengal — a state where football has often been linked to the rise of nationalism, epitomised paradoxically by Mohun Bagan’s win against the East Yorkshire Regiment in 1911’s IFA Shield.