Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra on Saturday backed the party’s statement in an official post on X, publicly condemning her colleagues for making controversial statements about the recent gangrape of the law student in Kolkata.
A 24-year-old law student in South Kolkata was allegedly gang-raped on the college campus of South Kolkata Law college.Three individuals have been arrested, including two students and a staff member, who is reportedly a leader of the Trinamool Congress's student wing.
“Misogyny in India cuts across party lines.What differentiates @AITCofficial is that we condemn these disgusting comments no matter who makes them.” she said.
This was following the official post on X by Trinamool Congress (TMC), where the party publicly distanced itself from MP Kalyan Banerjee and MLA Madan Mitra over their controversial remarks on the Kolkata law college’s alleged gang rape case.
Sharp Criticism from Kalyan Banerjee
Moitra’s stance invited a counterattack from Banerjee, who attacked Moitra’s personal life whilst shifting from the issue at hand.
He quoted Moitra’s recent wedding to Biju Janata Dal’s MP Pinaki Mishra and stated “Mahua Moitra has come back to India after completing her honeymoon. And after coming back to India, she has started fighting against me. She is saying I am anti-women. What is she? She has broken up a family and married a 65-year-old guy. And she is saying I am anti-women.”
Prior to this, the party’s censure prompted sharp criticism from Banerjee, who took to X and questioned the party’s moral clarity while stating that he completely disagreed with the post made by the party and posed the question of whether the party was indirectly supporting the leaders who were shielding those criminals.
He further criticised the party over its the futility of its “mere academic statements” and the need for immediate action against the leaders directly responsible which will ensure real change.
Moitra is yet to respond to the personal statements made by Banerjee.
TMC rift deepens
This is not the first time both the MPs have had a public spat. A disagreement between Moitra and Banerjee on April 4 was regarding her name not being mentioned in the submitted memorandum which was based on a complaint related to alleged voter ID duplications in West Bengal, during the party delegation’s visit to Election Commission.
The altercation allegedly grew increasingly aggressive followed by Moitra confronting Banerjee and allegedly requesting security personnel to “arrest him”.
Adding to this Banerjee allegedly referred to Moitra as a “versatile international lady” and made disparaging remarks about her political priorities and personal conduct. The following was suggested by screenshots of purported Whatsapp chats which were widely circulated and shared by BJP’s National Convener of IT Cell, Amit Malviya.
Following this incident TMC MP Saugata Roy claimed that he found Moitra in tears, he further urged that Banerjee be removed from his position as the party Chief Whip in the Lok Sabha over repeated uncivilised conduct.
According to PTI, while addressing the reporters in Kolkata, he said “I wasn't there when this spat happened between Kalyan Banerjee and Mahua Moitra took place,I was at Vijay Chowk... The spat took place in front of the Election Commission.”
He added that after the press conference at Vijay Chowk, he went inside Parliament and when he came out after a few minutes, he found Mahua was crying and complaining to several MPs about Kalyan's behaviour.
“At that time, a number of our party MPs were gathered and discussed that Kalyan's behaviour will not be tolerated anymore and that everyone will reach out to our supremo Mamata Banerjee.” he said
Kolkata Law College’s Alleged Gangrape’s Probe so far
Police said the woman had gone to the law college for some work at about 4:00 PM on Wednesday, and was asked to stay back by Mishra.The woman was gang-raped between 7.30 pm and 10.50 pm EM DASH inside the campus of the South Calcutta Law College, according to the complaint.
An investigation based on the woman’s complaint led to the arrest of three men, which sparked widespread outrage.
This came after nine months of a similar incident at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital had triggered citywide and national protests.
Police identified the three suspects as Monojit Mishra, 31, a college staffer, and two students, Zaib Ahmed, 19, and Pramit Mukherjee, 20.
The student alleged that she was gang-raped after her rejection of a marriage proposal from the main accused, 31-year-old Monojit Mishra, who is a former student and current general secretary of the Trinamool Congress Chhatra Parishad (TMCP).
This was followed by a threat from the main accused to harm her boyfriend and implicate her parents in false cases before confining her inside the college and assaulting her, leaving her injured despite her resistance, reported Hindustan Times.
The survivor’s allegations were confirmed after a medical examination and there was evidence of forceful penetration, bite marks and nail scratches on her body, a senior Kolkata Police official told news agency PTI.
The three accused were presented before the Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate’s Court in Alipore, which remanded them to four days of police custody, until July 1.
Mishra’s lawyer, Azam Khan, maintained his client’s innocence, stating, “The allegations are baseless. He is being framed as a result of political rivalry.”
The opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) pointed out that Mishra’s social media account indicated close ties to the state’s ruling Trinamool Congress, this led to the crime being flagged as law and order situation by BJP.
