Kalyan Banerjee responds to TMC MP Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar's ‘verbal abuse’ allegations: ‘They are acting with a motive’

Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Kalyan Banerjee on Thursday hit back at party colleague Kakoli Ghosh over her allegation that he verbally abused her inside the Lok Sabha. He questioned why she raised the issue after a delay and suggested there was a hidden agenda behind the complaint.

Speaking at a press conference, Banerjee said that if such an incident had actually taken place, the Lok Sabha Speaker should have been informed immediately, as per parliamentary rules. He further alleged that Ghosh was making the accusations with a specific motive.

"After something happens on the floor, the Speaker must be informed immediately, that is the rule. Any incident must be reported to the Speaker without delay. As for the allegations being made, the question is who said what and when. The problem lies in their intentions. It seems they are acting with a motive, which raises my doubts," Kalyan stated, according to ANI

Dastidar urged the Speaker to intervene and take appropriate action, claiming that Banerjee’s conduct reflected misogynistic behaviour and was not directed at her alone.

"I seek your permission to lodge a formal complaint to you for redressal against Lok Sabha Member of AITC Kalyan Banerjee, who has repeatedly verbally abused me inside the Lok Sabha," she mentioned.

Expressing concern over the treatment of women parliamentarians, Dastidar said the alleged behaviour was part of a larger pattern and called for strict action.

"This misogyny has been against many lady members and needs to be punished," Dastidar mentioned in her complaint to the Lok Sabha Speaker.

In her resignation letter, Dastidar stated that she was stepping down from the position of Chairperson of the All India Trinamool Mahila Congress, as well as from all other organisational posts, committees, and responsibilities within the party.

The announcement was made at Mamata Banerjee’s residence in Kalighat, where the TMC leadership called for solidarity and determination as it worked to strengthen its parliamentary team following a difficult electoral contest that brought an end to the party’s long and uninterrupted tenure in power.