TMC Infighting Escalates Over Kolkata Rape Remarks; Moitra, Banerjee in Bitter Spat
GG News Bureau
Kolkata, 29th June: The rape of a law student at South Calcutta Law College has triggered a political storm in West Bengal, exposing deep cracks within the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) as party leaders engage in a bitter war of words. As the party scrambled to control the damage by distancing itself from controversial statements by MP Kalyan Banerjee and MLA Madan Mitra, internal discord spilled into the public sphere.
The situation escalated after Mahua Moitra, TMC MP from Krishnanagar, strongly condemned the remarks made by Banerjee and Mitra, calling them “disgusting” and stating that the party stands apart by not hesitating to denounce such views. Moitra wrote on social media, “Misogyny in India cuts across party lines. What differentiates @AITCofficial is that we condemn these disgusting comments no matter who makes them.”
Mitra had controversially suggested that the crime could have been avoided had the victim not gone to the location. “If that girl had not gone there, this incident wouldn’t have happened,” he said. Banerjee, in a similar tone, downplayed the issue, questioning how anyone could prevent such an incident between “friends.”
These statements, widely slammed as victim-blaming, sparked a strong backlash from the public and political opponents. BJP leader Amit Malviya lashed out, branding the TMC as a “party of rape-sympathisers, rape enablers and serial offenders.”
Facing mounting criticism, the Trinamool Congress released an official statement dissociating from the comments, emphasizing, “We have zero tolerance for crimes against women and demand the strictest possible punishment for all those involved.”
However, the controversy took a personal and vitriolic turn when Banerjee retaliated against Mahua Moitra, targeting her recent marriage to former BJD MP Pinaki Misra. “She has broken up a family and married a 65-year-old guy… An MP expelled from Parliament for breach of ethics is preaching me,” he said, referring to Moitra’s expulsion over alleged ethics violations.
Banerjee also questioned the party’s own stance, accusing TMC leadership of shielding leaders with questionable records. “Mere academic statements won’t bring real change unless action is taken,” he added in a post that seemed to criticise both Moitra and party leadership.
This public feud has come at a critical time for the Mamata Banerjee-led government, with assembly elections on the horizon. The case has also reignited memories of past crimes, including the rape-murder of a female doctor in Kolkata less than a year ago, which drew national outrage.
