Mahua Moitra

Mahua Moitra (born 12 October 1974) is an Indian politician and investment banker serving as Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha from Krishnanagar.[3] She contested and won the seat in the 2019 Indian general election as an All India Trinamool Congress (AITC) party candidate.[4]

Mahua Moitra
Moitra in Goa, 2021
Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha
Assumed office
23 May 2019
Preceded byTapas Paul
ConstituencyKrishnanagar
Majority63,218
Member of the West Bengal Legislative Assembly
In office
28 May 2016 – 23 May 2019
Preceded bySamaredranath Ghosh
Succeeded byBimalendu Sinha Roy
ConstituencyKarimpur
Majority15,989
In–charge of the All India Trinamool Congress, Goa
In office
13 November 2021 (2021-11-13) – 4 May 2022 (2022-05-04)
Preceded byOffice established
Succeeded byKirti Azad
Personal details
Born (1974-10-12) 12 October 1974[1][2]
Labac, Cachar, Assam, India
Political partyAll India Trinamool Congress (Since 2010)
Other political
affiliations
Spouse
Lars Wauvert Brorson
​
​
(divorced)​
Alma materMount Holyoke College
Profession

Moitra served as a member of the West Bengal Legislative Assembly representing Karimpur from 2016 to 2019,[5] and has served as the general secretary and national spokesperson of the AITC for the past few years. She was an investment banker before entering politics.[6]

Early life

Moitra was born to Dwipendra Lal Moitra on 12 October 1974 in Labac in the Cachar district of Assam. She hails from a Bengali Hindu Brahmin family and has a sister.[1][7][8]

Moitra went to school in Kolkata. She graduated in economics and mathematics in 1998 from Mount Holyoke College South Hadley in Massachusetts, United States.[9]

Moitra worked as an investment banker for JPMorgan Chase in New York City and London.[10]

Political career

She quit her position as vice-president at JPMorgan Chase in London in 2009 to enter Indian politics.[10] Subsequently, she joined the Indian Youth Congress, the youth wing of the Indian National Congress party where she was one of the trusted hands of Rahul Gandhi in the project "Aam Admi Ka Sipahi".[11] In 2010, she moved to the All India Trinamool Congress party.[10] She was elected from the Karimpur constituency in Nadia district, West Bengal in the Legislative Assembly elections held in 2016.[12][13] She has been elected as a member of parliament to the 17th Lok Sabha from Krishnanagar, West Bengal.[14][15]

On 13 November 2021, she was appointed TMC party's Goa in-charge to prepare the party for contesting the 2022 Goa Legislative Assembly election.[16]

Lawsuits

On 10 January 2017, Moitra filed a police complaint against Bharatiya Janata Party MP and Union Minister Babul Supriyo for allegedly "insulting her modesty" during a national television debate.[17] The complaint was later dismissed by the Calcutta High Court.[18] A few days later, Babul Supriyo sent legal notices to Moitra and TMC MPs Saugata Roy and Tapas Paul for allegedly defaming him by accusing him of being involved in the Rose Valley ponzi firm scam.[19][20]

In January 2020, Zee media filed a defamatory lawsuit against Moitra for apparently making derogatory statements against the channel while addressing reporters. She was granted bail and put on trial by a Delhi Court.[21] She later won the case and the charges against her were dismissed.[22]

Controversy

Political issues

On 26 June 2019, Moitra pointed out seven early signs of fascism,[23] which she claims are present in India under Narendra Modi's government.[24] She said that constitution on which every MP has sworn to protect is now under threat. In December 2020, she called the press as "2 paisa" after which the local news media criticised her heavily and decided to boycott her.[25] Her party distanced itself from her comments.[26][27]

Criticising the judiciary and the current government in the parliament on 8 February 2021, Moitra stated "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 the nomination to the upper house within three months of retirement, replete with Z+ security cover". The speech caused an uproar in the house with member of the ruling party calling it 'objectionable' and violating parliamentary rules because it mentioned a person in "high authority". Opposition members supported the speech as it was based on facts which are matters of public record.[28][29][30]

The remarks were finally expunged from the records. On 11 February 2021, BJP leaders Nishikant Dubey and PP Chowdhary moved a privilege notice against Moitra.[31]

On 7 April 2022, Mahua Moitra argued in the parliament that the Criminal Procedure (Identification) Bill, 2022 is even more intrusive than colonial surveillance laws in India.[32]

'Kaali' controversy

On 5 July 2022 at the India Today Conclave East, while reacting to a film poster showing goddess Kali smoking a cigarette, Moitra said, “Kaali to me is a meat-eating, alcohol-accepting goddess. 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.”[33] Distancing itself from the controversy, her party All India Trinamool Congress issued a statement — “Her views expressed on Goddess Kali have been made in her personal capacity and are not endorsed by the party in any manner or form”, condemning Moitra's remarks.[34][35] Subsequently, police complaints were filed against Moitra by the Bengal BJP in Kolkata and five districts of West Bengal, as well as in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh.[36][37]

Social issues

In August 2022, Moitra condemned the release and thereafter, garlanding of rapists of Bilkis Bano by local VHP workers[38] by calling out their Islamophobia and hate for women and said that for every BJP Politician who lauds this as sanskari, there exists a Kali (Hindu Goddess) who will fight back.[39]

Cash for Query

On 14 October 2023, Supreme Court advocate Jai Anant Dehadrai sent a complaint to CBI with an FIR alleging Moitra of corruption and money laundering. A copy was submitted to the Speaker of the Lok Sabha as well who forwarded the matter to the Ethics Committee of the parliament. Dehadrai accuses that Moitra received money and favours from Darshan Hiranandani, head of a rival conglomerate of Adani Group, to ask parliamentary questions targeting Adani.[40] On 19 October 2023, Hiranandani turned approver, and in an affidavit claimed that Moitra indeed received favours, and also gave him access to her account on parliament of India's website to directly post questions on her behalf.[41][42]

Moitra has denied these allegations, and stated that she welcomes any kind of enquiry from CBI and parliamentary ethics committee.[43]

Personal life

Moitra was married to Danish financier Lars Brorson, with whom she later divorced.[44] She was in a relationship with advocate Jai Anant Dehadrai but they later broke up.[45]

References
  1. "Members : Lok Sabha". loksabhaph.nic.in. Archived from the original on 1 March 2022. Retrieved 1 March 2021.
  2. De, Shobhaa (29 June 2019). "India is 'drunk' on Mahua: A political star is born". The Asian Age. Archived from the original on 10 March 2020. Retrieved 9 August 2020.
  3. "Who is Mahua Moitra?". The Indian Express. 27 June 2019. Archived from the original on 20 November 2019. Retrieved 28 June 2019.
  4. "Election Results 2019: Privacy Warrior Mahua Moitra Wins West Bengal's Krishnanagar". HuffPost. 23 May 2019. Archived from the original on 2 June 2019. Retrieved 9 February 2021.
  5. "West Bengal 2016 Mahua Moitra (Winner) Karimpur". MyNeta. Archived from the original on 11 October 2017. Retrieved 5 June 2016.
  6. "Ex-investment banker Mahua Moitra has assets of over Rs 2.5 cr". India Today. Archived from the original on 26 May 2016. Retrieved 5 June 2016.
  7. "Mahua Moitra| National Portal of India". Archived from the original on 24 February 2023. Retrieved 24 February 2023.
  8. Yadav, Puneet Nicholas (28 June 2019). "BJP Succeeded In Creating Impression Of 'Nameless, Faceless Enemy' Coming For Hindus: Mahua Moitra". Outlook. Archived from the original on 9 August 2020. Retrieved 26 September 2020. I am a Hindu and neither I nor anyone from my family, ever felt it necessary to assert or to tattoo the fact on our foreheads that we are Hindus or Brahmins.
  9. Feuerstein, Christian (9 May 2021). "Mahua Moitra '98 speech decries fascism". Mount Holyoke College. Archived from the original on 12 May 2021. Retrieved 9 May 2021.
  10. Bhattacharya, Ravik (11 May 2010). "Key Youth Cong face in Bengal flirts with Trinamool". Indian Express Archives. Archived from the original on 7 November 2017. Retrieved 19 July 2017.
  11. De, Shobhaa (29 June 2019). "India is 'drunk' on Mahua: A political star is born". The Asian Age. Archived from the original on 28 November 2019. Retrieved 28 November 2019.
  12. "Winner and Runner up Candidate in Karimpur assembly constituency". Elections.in. Archived from the original on 4 June 2016. Retrieved 5 June 2016.
  13. "Mahua Moitra Karimpur". NDTV. Archived from the original on 11 March 2017. Retrieved 5 June 2016.
  14. "Krishnanagar Election result 2019: Mahua Moitra of the TMC likely wins by 63,218 votes". Times Now. 24 May 2019. Archived from the original on 4 August 2021. Retrieved 12 February 2021.
  15. "Krishnanagar (West Bengal) Lok Sabha Election Results 2019: Winner, Runner-Up, Live Counting on Election Commission of India ECI at eciresults.nic.in". The Indian Express. Archived from the original on 1 December 2020. Retrieved 12 February 2021.
  16. "TMC appoints Mahua Moitra as party's Goa in-charge ahead of Assembly polls". The Indian Express. 13 November 2021. Archived from the original on 1 March 2022. Retrieved 13 November 2021.
  17. "TMC MLA Mahua Moitra accuses Babul Supriyo of insulting her modesty, Union Minister laughs it off". DNA India. 10 January 2017. Archived from the original on 27 June 2019. Retrieved 28 June 2019.
  18. "Calcutta HC Dismisses Chargesheet against Babul Supriyo for 'Objectionable' Remarks at Mahua Moitra". News18. 14 October 2020. Archived from the original on 20 November 2020. Retrieved 14 December 2020.
  19. "Rose valley chit fund case: Babul Supriyo sends defamation notices to TMC leaders for linking him to scam". Indian Express. 11 January 2017. Archived from the original on 26 June 2019. Retrieved 8 February 2020.
  20. "West Bengal MLA Mahua Moitra returns after assaulting Assam Police constable". The New Indian Express. 3 August 2018. Archived from the original on 9 November 2020. Retrieved 31 January 2021.
  21. "Delhi court puts TMC MP Mahua Moitra on trial in defamation case filed by Zee Media". The Hindu. PTI. 10 January 2020. ISSN 0971-751X. Archived from the original on 11 September 2020. Retrieved 2 August 2020.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: others (link)
  22. Zee Media - Mahua Moitra criminal defamation Archived 22 April 2023 at the Wayback Machine, lawstreet.co. Accessed 8 February 2023.
  23. Pandey, Geeta (26 June 2019). "Indian MP Mahua Moitra's 'rising fascism' speech wins plaudits". BBC News. Archived from the original on 26 August 2022. Retrieved 27 August 2022.
  24. "TMC's Mahua Moitra points out 7 early signs of fascism seen in India in maiden Lok Sabha speech". India Today. 26 June 2019. Archived from the original on 26 August 2022. Retrieved 27 August 2022.
  25. "TMC MP Mahua Moitra draws flak, media boycott for '2 paisa'". Hindustan Times. Archived from the original on 9 December 2020. Retrieved 9 December 2020.
  26. "बुरी फंसीं सांसद महुआ मोइत्रा, मीडिया को 'दो कौड़ी' का बताने पर हो रही चौतरफा आलोचना". Amar Ujala (in Hindi). Archived from the original on 9 December 2020. Retrieved 9 December 2020.
  27. "Trinamool's Mahua Moitra Calls Media "Two Paisa Worth", Slammed". NDTV.com. Archived from the original on 9 December 2020. Retrieved 9 December 2020.
  28. Gunasekar, Arvind; Ghosh, Deepshikha (9 February 2021). "No Action Against Trinamool's Mahua Moitra For Parliament Speech After All". NDTV. Archived from the original on 17 February 2021. Retrieved 16 February 2021.
  29. Ramesh, Mythreyee (10 February 2021). "No Action Against Mahua Moitra For CJI Remark, But What Was Said?". TheQuint. Archived from the original on 10 February 2021. Retrieved 16 February 2021.
  30. "Parliament: Uproar in Lok Sabha after TMC MP Mahua Moitra's remarks on former CJI". Scroll.in. 9 February 2021. Archived from the original on 14 February 2021. Retrieved 16 February 2021.
  31. "One more BJP MP moves privilege motion against Mahua Moitra". The Hindu. 11 February 2021. Archived from the original on 15 February 2021. Retrieved 16 February 2021.
  32. "New Criminal Identification Bill Is More Intrusive Than Colonial Law: Mahua Moitra". The Wire. 7 April 2022. Archived from the original on 27 August 2022. Retrieved 27 August 2022.
  33. "Trinamool Congress condemns party MP Mahua Moitra's 'Kaali' remarks". India Today. 5 July 2022. Retrieved 6 July 2022.
  34. Sahai Bhatnagar, Isha (6 July 2022). "TMC MP Mahua Moitra unfollows party on Twitter amid 'Kaali' controversy". Hindustan Times. Archived from the original on 6 July 2022. Retrieved 7 July 2022.
  35. "'Mistakes can be rectified': Mamata as Mahua Moitra faces FIR over 'Kali' remark". Hindustan Times. 7 July 2022. Archived from the original on 7 July 2022. Retrieved 7 July 2022.
  36. Singh, Shiv Sahay (6 July 2022). "controversy over Trinamool mp mahua moitras remarks on goddess kaali rages on". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 6 July 2022. Retrieved 7 July 2022.
  37. "FIR against TMC MP Mahua Moitra as row over Kali remark intensifies". Hindustan Times. 7 July 2022. Archived from the original on 7 July 2022. Retrieved 7 July 2022.
  38. "Bilkis Bano rape case: VHP greets released convicts with garlands in Gujarat". TimesNow. 17 August 2022. Archived from the original on 8 October 2022. Retrieved 26 October 2022.
  39. "Mahua Moitra writes: Our Bilkis moment". The Indian Express. 22 August 2022. Archived from the original on 26 October 2022. Retrieved 26 October 2022.
  40. "'Cash for Query' Case: Timeline of How Allegations Against TMC MP Mahua Moitra Unfolded". News18. 19 October 2023. Retrieved 20 October 2023.
  41. "Cash for Query Row: Businessman Darshan Hiranandani turns approver now". CNBC. 19 October 2023. Retrieved 20 October 2023.
  42. "'Used Parliament account to target Adani,' claims Darshan Hiranandani in a big setback to Mahua Moitra". Business Today. 19 October 2023. Retrieved 20 October 2023.
  43. "'Welcome answering questions to CBI, Ethics committee,' says Mahua Moitra after Hiranandani affidavit to LS panel". The Indian Express. 20 October 2023. Retrieved 20 October 2023.
  44. "Interview of Mahua Moitra by Sheela Bhatt, NewsX, 4 July 2019". NewsX. 4 July 2019. Archived from the original on 22 April 2023. Retrieved 19 September 2020 – via YouTube.
  45. "महुआ मोइत्रा के 'एक्‍स' किसे कर रहे हैं Miss, पोस्‍ट किया पुराना वीडियो जब साथ था वो". Navbharat Times. 24 October 2023.
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