Don't wrestle with a pig: Mahua Moitra hits back at Kalyan Banerjee in escalating TMC feud
Kolkata: A simmering internal feud within the Trinamool Congress (TMC) has exploded into a full-blown public confrontation, with MP Mahua Moitra referring to fellow party leader and senior parliamentarian Kalyan Banerjee using a scathing metaphor that likened him to a pig. The sharp remark, made during a podcast with India Today, is the latest flashpoint in a series of escalating clashes between the two leaders, highlighting deepening factionalism within the West Bengal-based party.
"You don't wrestle with a pig. Because the pig likes it and you get dirty," Moitra said during the interview, in clear reference to Banerjee. The comment came in response to Banerjee’s recent personal attacks on her marriage to former BJD MP and senior advocate Pinaki Misra.
Tensions between the two leaders intensified in June following a gang-rape case at a Kolkata law college, in which the accused were allegedly linked to the TMC’s student wing. Kalyan Banerjee made a controversial comment on the matter, saying, “What can be done if a friend rapes a friend?” The party officially condemned the remark as “insensitive,” and Moitra amplified that condemnation, criticizing what she termed the “misogyny” within Indian politics.
In retaliation, Banerjee launched a deeply personal attack: “She is saying I am anti-women. What is she? She has broken up a family of 40 years and married a 65-year-old guy. The women of the country will decide.”
Moitra hit back during the podcast, stating, “There are deeply misogynistic, sexually frustrated, depraved men in India, and they have their representation in Parliament across all parties.” She also called the silence of West Bengal Chief Minister and TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee “unfortunate,” though she expressed hope that the leadership would act in time.
Their animosity predates the recent controversy. Earlier this year, the two clashed inside Parliament over what initially appeared to be a trivial issue, Banerjee’s dramatic endorsement of a Bengali sweet shop during a Lok Sabha session. Moitra objected, questioning whether parliamentary time should be used for such theatrics.
In April 2025, another confrontation occurred at the Election Commission's Delhi office during the submission of a TMC memorandum. Moitra reportedly objected to her name being omitted and confronted Banerjee, leading to a verbal altercation. Witnesses claim Moitra asked security to remove Banerjee for using offensive language.
That altercation had wider consequences. Banerjee lashed out at other party leaders, accusing MP Kirti Azad of leaking internal discussions to the BJP and labelling veteran MP Saugata Roy a “thief of Narada,” referencing the 2016 bribery sting operation.
Saugata Roy rebuked Banerjee’s remarks, saying, “He is in the habit of making deprecating statements, particularly against women,” and noted that several MPs wanted him removed as the party’s Chief Whip in the Lok Sabha.
Despite the controversies, Kalyan Banerjee, four-time MP and long-time legal advisor to Mamata Banerjee, continues to enjoy the protection of the top leadership. The party issued a showcause notice to MLA Madan Mitra over similar controversial remarks on the rape case but has not taken any public action against Banerjee.
Moitra, who commands national media attention and represents the party’s progressive face, has increasingly found herself at odds with the party’s old guard.
With West Bengal Assembly elections on the horizon in 2026, the TMC leadership now faces mounting pressure to intervene decisively.
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Dense fog disrupts operations at Delhi airport; 228 flights cancelled, 5 diverted
New Delhi (PTI): Dense fog disrupted flight operations at Delhi Airport on Monday, with various airlines cancelling 228 flights and diverting five to nearby airports due to low visibility, an official said.
However, except for Air India, which had in an X post in the morning announced the cancellation of some 40 flights, no other airlines, including crisis-hit IndiGo, shared the numbers of their cancelled or delayed flights.
"As many as 228 flights -- 131 departures and 97 arrivals-- have been cancelled due to low visibility, so far," the airport official said.
In addition to this, five flights have been diverted so far, he said.
Earlier, the Delhi International Airport Ltd (DIAL), in a statement, said, "Our on-ground officials are working closely with all stakeholders to assist passengers and provide necessary support across Terminals.
"Low visibility (below minima), due to dense fog, has severely impacted operations at Delhi and other airports across northern India, which is unfortunately beyond our control," IndiGo said in a statement.
As operations are adjusted to prevailing weather conditions, some flights may experience delays, while a few others may be proactively cancelled during the day to prioritise safety and minimise extended waiting at the airport, the airline said in a statement.
IndiGo, however, did not say how many of its flights were cancelled or delayed.
The airline said its teams are "closely monitoring" the situation and coordinating with Delhi airport.
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IndiGo also said it issued advisories to its customers and "proactively" informing them, to minimise inconvenience.
“Poor visibility due to dense fog in Delhi this morning has impacted flight operations for all airlines. We are closely monitoring conditions and will resume operations as soon as it is safe to do so,” Air India said in a post on X in the morning.
It also said that some flights have been cancelled In the interest of safety, and to avoid prolonged uncertainty for the guests, while listing out some 40 arrivals and departures that it had cancelled for the day.
Delhi airport is the country's busiest, handling around 1,300 flight movements daily.
