Why does everyone love a political controversy with Mahua Moitra at the centre?

Kolkata: She was like a storm at her debut Lok Sabha speech. Clad in a Bengali-style "taant-er" saree (cotton) with blue borders, Trinamool Congress' Krishnanagar MP Mahua Moitra presented her fiery speech against fascism three years ago. 

The opposition was surprised, the ruling party was stunned, the media went gaga, and the social media was flooded with either praising or trolling hashtags about Moitra. 

She is one of the few politicians today who never fails to speak their minds. It seems everyone loves a political controversy with Mahua Moitra at the centre.

Recently, during India Today Conclave, Moitra expressed how she perceives goddess Kali. "You have the freedom to imagine your goddess. There are some places where whiskey is offered to gods and in some other places it would be blasphemy,” Moitra said. 

While Bharatiya Janata Party and its associates were quick to initiate a row over her comments for allegedly hurting the sentiment of the Hindus, in a bizarre move, her own party distanced itself from her comment. 

Regarding this ongoing controversy, she letter tweeted, "I am a Kali worshipper. I am not afraid of anything. Not your ignoramuses. Not your goons. Not your police. And most certainly not your trolls."

Moitra on Sunday took a veiled dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his “Goddess Kali is with the country” remark. She said she would advise the BJP troll-in-charge for West Bengal to tell his masters to stop commenting on things they have no clue about.

Would advise BJP Troll-In-Charge for Bengal to tell his masters to stop commenting on things they have no clue about.



Didi O Didi got them the boot.

Now Maa O Maa will get them a foot on their chest.

— Mahua Moitra (@MahuaMoitra) July 10, 2022

How Mahua Moitra never compromised from speaking her mind

Moitra was a noted investment banker and the vice president of JP Morgan. In 2008, she quit her banking job in London and returned to India to join politics.

At first, she joined the Congress party and then joined the Trinamool Congress under the leadership of Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee in early 2010. When she joined the party, the TMC was not in power in Bengal but fighting fearlessly against the 35-year rule of the left. She was sent to Parliament from Krishnanagar in 2019 after winning her first election for the party in the West Bengal Assembly elections in 2016 from the Karimpur constituency.

After her debut speech, a senior TMC MP told NewsDrum, "We were also surprised by her speech. In my long career at the Parliament, I can only remember a few politicians who can present such passionate speeches. Moreover, this list does not include any women. Mahua is fearless and different."

In 2019 she again gave a passionate speech against the UAPA Bill. She said, “Every time we disagree with this government, its troll armies, its propaganda machine works overtime to call us terrorist sympathisers, to call us 'sickular', to call us 'anti-national'?”

Similarly, on February 8, 2022, during her motion of thanks speech, Moitra made remarks in opposition to the claims of sexual harassment levelled against Ranjan Gogoi, a current member of the Rajya Sabha and a former chief justice of India. Without naming the former CJI she said, “The sacred cow that was the judiciary is no longer sacred. It stopped being sacred the day a sitting chief justice of this country was accused of sexual harassment, presided over his own trial, cleared himself and then proceeded to accept a nomination to the Upper House within three months of retirement, complete with Z-plus security cover."

What does TMC think about Mahua Moitra?

Moitra, who was raised in a very well-off family of tea planters and was born in Assam's Cachar region in 1974, received a degree in Economics and Mathematics from a college in Massachusetts. Moitra has frequently taken positions that were contrary to those of her party, including during the Kaali controversy. A video reportedly from a TMC internal administrative meeting that showed party leader Mamata Banerjee reprimanding Moitra went viral in December 2021.

Banerjee said, "Mahua, let me give a clear message here. I don't need to see who is against whom, but when there is an election, the party will decide who will fight and who will not. So, there should be no disagreement here."

Inside the TMC, there are several views and counter-views on Mahua Moitra. Her rise in the party happened because of her outspoken nature and ability to speak passionately in English. In 2010, when Mamata Banerjee was looking for leaders to represent the party nationally, Moitra became crucial. According to the sources in TMC, whatever the public stand of the party in the case of the recent controversy, the senior leadership of TMC has her back.

After the recent controversy, Banerjee said, "We make mistakes while working, but they can be rectified. Some people don't see all the good work and suddenly start shouting... Negativity affects our brain cells, so let's think positively. "

Similarly, when Moitra unfollowed the All India Trinamool Congress on Twitter, there were doubts about her stand inside the party. Later, she clarified that the only person she follows on Twitter now is Mamata Banerjee, and other issues will be sorted out within the party forum.

A senior TMC leader, on the condition of anonymity, said, "controversies are like badges of honour for politicians. She has spoken her mind, the party has announced its own position and nothing more than this matter. Not every politician is the same. Everyone in our party has different responsibilities, and as long as they fulfil those responsibilities successfully, there should be no doubt. Mahua is an integral part of our party and will always be."

Why are some TMC leaders not happy with Mahua Moitra?

It is true that not everyone inside the TMC likes Mahua Moitra. It is because of her fearless nature, regular controversies, and some other issues. After the historic victory of Mamata Banerjee in the 2021 Bengal assembly elections, the party focused on expansion. The TMC decided to fight the Goa assembly elections and Mahua Moitra was made the in-charge of the state. The party, with the help of Prashant Kishor‘s I–PAC, tried to fight the elections but miserably failed.

This failure raised some questions about the electoral capability of Moitra inside the party. Different power centres are normal in every political party. Inside the TMC right now, there are two power centres. One is of Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee and the other one is of her nephew Abhishek Banerjee, who is the national general secretary of the party. Being a new-age politician, a section of TMC leaders believes that Abhishek prefers leaders like Mahua Moitra, who can represent the party nationally and abroad. 

Some sections of the TMC leaders also believe that the Moitra has been often rude to the cadres and has lesser grassroots support. 

Can Mahua Moitra leave TMC?

People say that nothing is permanent in politics. However, the sources in Trinamool Congress confirmed that the top leadership of the party has no issues with Mahua Moitra. According to the TMC leaders, the issues regarding the recent controversy are being sorted out at the topmost level of the party. As far as the party.  

A senior leader of the TMC on the condition of anonymity said, "The party is already in talks with Mahua. We have explained why we distance ourselves from the comment. In every political party, such things happen and through dialogue, we are sorting out the issues. If any other leaders or workers are hurt also we will deal with the party."