TMC MP Kalyan Banerjee launched a scathing attack on his party colleague Mahua Moitra on Sunday after she expressed support for the party's social media post distancing itself from Banerjee's controversial remarks about the recent gangrape incident at a Kolkata law college.
Speaking to the media on Sunday, Banerjee directed vitriolic comments at Moitra, stating, "Mahua has returned to India after her honeymoon and immediately started fighting with me! She accuses me of being anti-woman - but what is she herself? She broke up a 40-year marriage and married a 65-year-old man. Did she not hurt that woman?" He referred to Moitra's recent marriage to former BJD MP Pinaki Misra.
"An MP who was expelled from Parliament for ethical breaches is now preaching to me! She is the most anti-woman person. She only knows how to secure her future and make money," he added.
Banerjee's outburst came after Moitra condemned his statements and labelled him a "misogynist". In an X post on Saturday, Moitra wrote, "Misogyny in India cuts across party lines. What differentiates us is that we condemn these disgusting comments no matter who makes them."
The controversy stems from Banerjee's public criticism of his own party, accusing it of protecting leaders "under question" in cases involving crimes against women. This followed the TMC's official dissociation from his remarks concerning the 25th June rape of a 24-year-old law student.
Banerjee's original comments had sparked political outrage in West Bengal. "I am not defending the incident at the Law College, but the accused should be arrested," he had said, adding controversially: "A few men commit this type of crime... But what can be done if a friend rapes his friend? Should the police be stationed in schools?"
His remarks drew immediate condemnation from the BJP, which accused him of showing sympathy towards the accused.
