A festering rift within the Trinamool Congress (TMC) has burst into open hostility, with senior leader and Sreerampore MP Kalyan Banerjee launching a blistering attack against party colleague and Krishnanagar MP Mahua Moitra. The dispute follows Moitra’s comments during a public podcast, where she likened Banerjee to a "pig" and accused him and others of perpetuating misogyny in Indian politics.
Taking to social media platform X, Banerjee condemned Moitra’s remarks as not only “unfortunate” but also indicative of a larger issue with “toxic double standards” in political discourse. “I have taken note of the recent personal remarks made by Ms Mahua Moitra in a public podcast. Her choice of words, including comparing a fellow MP to a ‘pig’, is not only unfortunate but reflects a deep disregard for basic norms of civil discourse,” he wrote.
Banerjee pushed back against what he described as a selective outrage often accepted when directed at men. “Labelling a male colleague as ‘sexually frustrated’ isn’t boldness — it’s outright abuse. If such language were used against a woman, there would be nationwide outrage — and rightly so. But when a man is the target, it’s dismissed or even applauded,” he added.
He went on to accuse Moitra of using identity politics to deflect from substantive criticism.“If the facts raised are inconvenient or uncomfortable, Ms Moitra must not dodge them by branding legitimate criticism as ‘misogyny’. That’s not accountability, that’s deflection," said Banerjee.
The Sreerampore MP also criticised the broader party culture of excusing such behaviour. He tagged the official TMC handle and Mahua Moitra in his post, suggesting the leadership should take note.
A day earlier, Mahua Moitra, in her conversation with India Today journalist Preeti Choudhry, addressed the recurring attacks from Kalyan Banerjee. Without naming him directly, she said, “You don’t wrestle with a pig, the pig likes it and you get dirty. That’s been my outlook to this whole thing.”
She went on to describe a toxic political environment in which sexist behaviour is often tolerated. “There are deeply misogynistic, sexually frustrated, depraved men in India and they have their representation in Parliament across all parties," said the Krishnanagar MP.
Moitra also opened up about internal party dynamics and the compromises leaders are often forced to make in the name of unity and electoral strategy. “I’m a district President, and even within my district there are people close to me who have a deeply problematic side. Sometimes, for the sake of the party and carrying along a wide section of workers, we are forced to overlook certain behaviours.”
This is not the first public spat between Banerjee and Moitra. Their ongoing conflict has surfaced repeatedly over the past year.
In June 2025, a gang-rape incident at a Kolkata law college triggered controversy when Banerjee responded to questions with, “What can be done if a friend rapes a friend?” The TMC distanced itself from the comment, calling it “insensitive.” Moitra amplified the criticism, calling out entrenched misogyny in political circles.
Banerjee retaliated with a personal attack, saying, “She is saying I’m anti-women. What is she? She broke up a family of 40 years and married a 65-year-old man. Let the women of the country decide.”
Earlier in April 2025, tensions flared at the Election Commission’s Delhi office, where a verbal spat broke out over Moitra’s name being left out of a TMC memorandum. Moitra reportedly asked security to remove Banerjee after he allegedly used abusive language.
In another instance inside Parliament, Moitra objected to Banerjee’s light-hearted promotion of a Bengali sweet shop during session time, arguing that such theatrics were unfit for the Lok Sabha. The moment escalated into a larger debate about parliamentary decorum.
