Kolkata: Football fans continued to turn stadiums into spaces of protest, using giant tifos to voice political and social anguish. Mohun Bagan supporters displayed a banner during their Saturday match at Salt Lake stadium, protesting against insults to the Bengali language and people. The banner appeared two days after East Bengal fans made a similar gesture during the match against Namdhari FC. On Saturday, Mohun Bagan beat DHFC 5-1 to head into the Durand Cup quarter-finals. The green-and-maroon stands featured a giant tifo displaying lines from a Tagore song: “Bangalir pon, Bangalir asha, Bangalir kaj, Bangalir bhasha — Satya houk, Satya houk, Satya houk hey bhogoban (The honour of the Bengali, the hope of the Bengali, the work of the Bengali, the language of the Bengali — let it be true, let it be true, let it be true, oh God).” Below it, another banner read: “Deshta karor baaper noy, noyko jaater khela, ei Bangali-i ghuchiechhilo paradhinatar jwala (This country doesn’t belong to anyone’s father, nor is it a game of caste, it was the Bengalis who brought independence).“The banners condemned the recent labelling of Bengali-speaking people as “Bangladeshi”, a sentiment many in the state say undermines the cultural contributions and sacrifices of Bengalis in the freedom struggle and Indian nation-building.In 1905, Bengalis used this song as a weapon in the anti-partition movement during Banga Bhanga protests. Back then, Bengal united in the Ra-khibandhan festival led by Tagore. This year’s protest also coincided with Rakhi. The tifo by Mariners Dé Xtreme – Ultras of Mohun Bagan featured portraits of Bengali icons, like Tagore, Kazi Nazrul Islam, Swami Vivekananda, Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, and Khudiram Bose.“This tifo is to send a message across India — the issue of Bangladeshi immigrants must be resolved through the joint efforts of central and state govts. But none should question our existence or our language,” an admin member of the fan club said.A smaller tifo read: “Jana Gana Mana Vande Mataram. Bangla Bhasha Maayer Soman (Jana Gana Mana, Vande Mataram, Bangla bhasha is equal to mother)” while another said: “Shahider Rokto Kobir Nobel, Bharater Mukute Bangla Jewel (The blood of martyrs, the poet’s Nobel, Bengali is a jewel in India’s crown).”