A brutal gangrape case at South Calcutta Law College has not only sent shockwaves across West Bengal but has also triggered a fierce internal feud within the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC). Public exchanges between senior party leaders, including MPs Kalyan Banerjee and Mahua Moitra, have brought to light deepening rifts within the party, just months before crucial Assembly elections.
Soon after the case came to light, Serampore MP Kalyan Banerjee made a statement widely condemned as victim-blaming.“What can be done if a friend rapes his friend?” he said. “Will there be police in schools? This was done by students to another student. Who will protect her?”
Adding fuel to the fire, TMC MLA Madan Mitra remarked,"This incident has sent a message to girls, if someone calls you when college is closed, don't go; nothing good will come of it. If that girl had not gone there, this incident wouldn't have happened."
Both comments sparked widespread outrage on social media and drew criticism from political rivals, including the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
In the wake of widespread criticism, the Trinamool Congress moved swiftly to distance itself from MP Kalyan Banerjee and Madan Mitra’s remarks. In an official statement posted on X, the party clarified that the comments made by Banerjee, as well as those by MLA Madan Mitra were issued in their "personal capacities" and did not reflect the party’s views. “The party unequivocally disassociates itself from their statements and strongly condemns the same,” the statement read. Reaffirming its stance on gender-based violence, the TMC added, “Our position remains resolute; we have zero tolerance for crimes against women and demand the strictest possible punishment for all those involved in this heinous crime.”
Krishnanagar MP Mahua Moitra was quick to denounce the comments made by her party colleagues. Sharing the party’s official statement disassociating from Banerjee and Mitra, she wrote on X, “Misogyny in India cuts across party lines. What differentiates @AITCofficial is that we condemn these disgusting comments no matter who makes them.” Moitra, known for her outspoken views, has frequently clashed with MP Kalyan Banerjee in the past.
Kalyan Banerjee retaliated with a personal attack on Moitra, questioning her credibility and referencing her private life. “Mahua Moitra has come back to India after one month and 15 days after completing her honeymoon,” Banerjee said. “She has started fighting with me! She accuses me of being anti-woman. What is she? She has broken up a 40-year marriage and married a 65-year-old man. Did she not hurt the lady?” He further alleged, “She is against all women leaders in her constituency. She doesn’t allow anyone to work. An MP expelled from Parliament for breach of ethics is preaching to me.”
The incident occurred on 25 June, when a 24-year-old law student was raped in the union room of her college. Police investigations have led to the arrest of four individuals, including the main accused, 31-year-old Manojit Mishra, a former student reportedly linked to the TMC youth wing. Two current students, Promit Mukherjee and Zaid Ahmed, were also arrested, alongside a college security guard. Mishra allegedly raped the student while the others recorded the assault for blackmail purposes.
The police claim to have recovered CCTV evidence that corroborates the survivor’s account. The crime, reminiscent of past high-profile cases in the state, has reignited debates over women’s safety and political accountability in West Bengal.
The BJP has seized on the issue, demanding Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s resignation and accusing the TMC of sheltering criminals. Senior BJP leader Amit Malviya labelled the TMC a “party of rape-sympathisers, rape enablers and serial offenders.”
The opposition has also highlighted the alleged political links of the main accused, Manojit Mishra, though the TMC maintains that no party affiliation will shield anyone from justice.
