Kolkata, Nov 16 (IANS): West Bengal Leader of the Opposition, Suvendu Adhikari, has taunted Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for her comments on India’s Olympic achievements.

Speaking at a program for the West Bengal Archery Academy on Friday, the Chief Minister expressed her hopes that academy students would bring home gold medals. However, she remarked, “India is yet to bag a gold medal in the Olympic Games.”

Adhikari was quick to respond, calling Banerjee’s statement “disgraceful.” He said, “What a shame! How could a Chief Minister claim that India has never won an Olympic gold medal?”

He further questioned whether the Chief Minister was aware of India’s sporting achievements, citing names like Abhinav Bindra and Neeraj Chopra, as well as the Indian hockey team’s historic victories. "Either she hasn't heard the names of Abhinav Bindra, Neeraj Chopra and is not acquainted about the laurels earned by the Indian Hockey Team," he said.

"However, I am doubtful that she has said this purposefully, as because her motto has always been to downgrade India's achievements,” the leader of the opposition further said.

Records say that since 1928 India had won a total of 41 Olympic medals out of which 10 are gold medals. Out of the 10 gold medals, eight have been won by the Indian hockey team.

In 2008, Abhinav Bindra won the gold medal in 10-meter air rifle shooting at the Beijing Olympics.

In the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, Neeraj Chopra won the gold medal in javelin.

Chopra is the youngest-ever Indian Olympic gold medalist in an individual event and the only individual to have won gold on his Olympic debut.