NEW DELHI: Senior Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Kalyan Banerjee has resigned from his position as the party’s chief whip in the Lok Sabha, news agency PTI reported on Monday, citing party sources. His resignation comes against the backdrop of an ongoing public feud with fellow party MP Mahua Moitra.Just minutes before the news of his resignation emerged, Banerjee, who represents Serampore in the Lok Sabha, took to social media platform X to criticise Moitra over her alleged remarks made during a recent public podcast. He accused her of using “dehumanising language” and compared her comments to “outright abuse.”“I have taken note of the recent personal remarks made by Ms Mahua Moitra in a public podcast… comparing a fellow MP to a ‘pig’ reflects a deep disregard for basic norms of civil discourse,” Banerjee posted.He defended his earlier statements, saying they focused on questions of public accountability and conduct, and were not misogynistic. He added, “Labeling a male colleague as ‘sexually frustrated’ isn’t boldness, it’s outright abuse.”Banerjee further claimed that Moitra was using personal attacks to deflect from questions regarding her performance as an MP. He said, “Those who rely on abuse instead of answers are not champions of democracy, they are its embarrassment.”The fallout between the two senior TMC leaders reportedly began in April, when Moitra confronted Banerjee inside the Parliament building after her name was left out from a party delegation memorandum. That incident reportedly led to a tense exchange in front of other MPs and party members.Following that, Banerjee accused Moitra of asking security personnel to arrest him and described her as “rude” and “uncivilised.” He had earlier also raised personal questions about Moitra’s marital life while responding to her criticisms.TMC has not officially commented on Banerjee’s resignation or the ongoing dispute.
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