Following a series of sharp exchanges between the Trinamool Congress (TMC) Member of Parliament Kalyan Banerjee and his colleague Mahua Moitra, Banerjee on August 5 (Tuesday) has publicly offered an “apology to the nation” for his past support of party colleague, intensifying an ongoing internal feud within the party.
Banerjee’s apology comes after Moitra allegedly made derogatory remarks about him in a public podcast. Sharing an old video from 2023 where he defended Moitra during a parliamentary controversy, Banerjee stated, “In 2023, I stood by Ms Moitra when she was under fire in Parliament — I did so out of conviction, not compulsion. Today, she repays that support by calling me a misogynist. I owe the nation an apology for having defended someone who clearly lacks basic gratitude.”
The public spat escalated following Banerjee’s recent resignation as the party’s chief whip in the Lok Sabha. His resignation reportedly stemmed from observations made by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee regarding a lack of coordination among MPs, for which Kalyan Banerjee claimed responsibility.
The animosity between Banerjee and Moitra has been simmering for months, marked by personal jibes and accusations. The latest flashpoint was Moitra’s comments in a podcast, where she reportedly addressed Banerjee’s verbal attacks by stating, “You don’t wrestle with a pig. Because the pig likes it and you get dirty. There are deeply misogynistic, sexually frustrated, depraved men in India and they have their representation in parliament across all parties.”
In response, Kalyan Banerjee vehemently criticised what he termed “dehumanising language.” He asserted, “Comparing a fellow MP to a ‘pig’ is not only unfortunate but reflects a deep disregard for basic norms of civil discourse.” He further argued that “Labelling a male colleague as ‘sexually frustrated’ isn’t boldness – it’s outright abuse. If such language were directed at a woman, there would be nationwide outrage, and rightly so. But when a man is the target, it’s dismissed or even applauded. Let’s be clear: abuse is abuse – regardless of gender.”
This public exchange highlights the deepening rift between the two senior TMC leaders, drawing significant attention to the internal dynamics of the party.
