Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday, speaking in the Lok Sabha, delivered a sharp aside at Trinamool Congress MP Kalyan Banerjee, remarking that he is not allowed to speak freely in West Bengal so he might as well be allowed in the lower house.
“Arre bhai, inko bolne dijiye, waha par bechare ke muh pe taala laga hua hai. Waha Bengal me koi bolne nahi deta isko." (Let him speak. he has a lock on his mouth since they don't allow him to speak in Bengal),” PM Modi wittily remarked.
The comment came as Banerjee’s interjected from opposition benches during Modi’s address on the women’s reservation bill. Responding to the disruption, the Prime Minister appealed to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla to allow the TMC leader to continue, implying that he is not given a platform in Bengal. The exchange, now widely shared online, highlights internal frictions within the Trinamool Congress.
The Prime Minister’s observation echoes past tensions between Kalyan Banerjee and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. In 2025, Banerjee was at the centre of a public spat with fellow TMC MP Mahua Moitra, prompting the party leadership to step in. Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had expressed displeasure over the infighting and urged leaders to maintain discipline. The personal dispute, which saw sharp personal exchanges, ultimately led to Banerjee resigning as the party’s chief whip in the Lok Sabha.
Women’s Reservation Bill
Separately, the Prime Minister pressed for the passage of the women’s reservation bill. Initially cleared unanimously in 2023, the proposed amendment seeks to reserve 33 per cent of Lok Sabha seats for women, based on the 2011 Census.
The bill also provides for an expansion of the Lok Sabha to 815 seats, with nearly 272 expected to be reserved for women. Calling for opposition support, Modi warned that resistance to the measure would carry consequences, stating that those opposing it would “not be forgiven by the women of India.”
