TMC MP Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar accuses Kalyan Banerjee of misogyny, writes to Lok Sabha Speaker

Trinamool Congress MP Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar on Thursday wrote to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, accusing fellow party MP Kalyan Banerjee of repeated verbal abuse and misogynistic behaviour inside Parliament.

In a letter shared publicly by news agency ANI, Dastidar sought permission to file a formal complaint against Banerjee, alleging that his conduct towards women MPs had crossed acceptable limits.

“I seek your permission to lodge a formal complaint to you for redressal against Lok Sabha Member of AITC Kalyan Banerjee, who has repeatedly verbally abused me inside the Lok Sabha,” she wrote.

“This misogyny has been against many lady members and needs to be punished,” the Trinamool Congress MP added.

Complaint follows resignation from party posts

The allegations surfaced a day after Dastidar resigned from all organisational positions she held within the Trinamool Congress, including her role as president of the party’s women’s wing.

In her resignation letter, she cited “deep mental conflict and long reflection” as reasons behind her decision. However, she clarified that she would continue as a Lok Sabha MP and remain associated with the party as an ordinary worker.

The Barasat MP has recently distanced herself from several key party activities and publicly expressed concerns about the party’s internal functioning.

She also attended an administrative meeting chaired by West Bengal Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari, despite objections reportedly raised by the Trinamool leadership.

Calling her tenure as chief of the women’s wing “an important chapter” in her political journey, Dastidar said she was stepping down with “great sadness and concern”.

Earlier remarks hinted at tensions

Although she did not directly name Kalyan Banerjee in her resignation letter, Dastidar had referred to the conduct of “another uneducated and rude party MP” whose alleged behaviour towards a woman MP, she claimed, was neither checked by the party nor addressed adequately by senior leaders.

“It is not worth staying in a position where the indecent behaviour of another uneducated and rude party MP on a woman MP cannot be stopped or the cooperation and sympathy of the senior leadership cannot be obtained,” she had written.

Criticism of party functioning

In an earlier interview, Dastidar also criticised the functioning of the Trinamool Congress and questioned the manner in which she was removed as the party’s Lok Sabha chief whip.

Referring to party chief Mamata Banerjee, she said a more democratic process should have been followed instead of what she described as an “authoritarian” approach.

Dastidar further acknowledged corruption issues within sections of the party organisation, saying such allegations had damaged the party politically.

“This is definitely a key reason for the defeat of TMC. Corruption is a very pertinent issue,” she said, while also defending grassroots workers whom she described as sincere and hardworking despite controversies involving local leaders.

Despite her sharp criticism, Dastidar ruled out the possibility of any major split within the Trinamool Congress.