Trinamool MP Accuses Colleague Of Misogyny, He Hits Back With Probe Threat

Trinamool MP Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar's hints about misbehaviour from a party colleague, mentioned in her resignation letter, became public today with her letter to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, seeking permission to file a complaint against MP Kalyan Banerjee. Her allegations have been dismissed as "frivolous" and "politically motivated" by Banerjee, who has also questioned their timing. He has also hit back, warning that he would seek the Speaker's approval for investigation against her in the Narada bribery case. 

In her letter to the Speaker, Ghosh Dastidar alleged that Kalyan Banerjee has "repeatedly verbally abused me inside the Lok Sabha". "This misogyny has been against many lady members and needs to be punished," she added.

Banerjee said he was ready to offer an explanation to the Speaker if he seeks one, but his fellow MP's allegations are a "political gimmick". 

"Why now? Why not before May 4? Why after the results? Why not when such an alleged incident occurred? If the allegations are true then she should have brought up immediately... Why didn't she write?" he questioned, pointing out that Ghosh Dastidar is "not an advocate of other MPs". 

Then came the explanation: "She used to be chief whip and now the party feels I should be reappointed and she will be removed. Hence, she is doing this out of anger". 

Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar, he declared, "wants something more in her life". "I will write a letter to the Speaker, to accord sanction for prosecution in the CBI case against her for taking a bribe of 5 lakh in the Narada case," he added. 

In her resignation letter from party posts yesterday, Ghosh Dastidar, who headed the party's women's cell, wrote: "There is no point occupying a post from where one cannot stop the misbehaviour of a fellow MP of the party towards a woman MP or gain cooperation on the matter from senior leaders".