Trinamool Congress MP Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar has written to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla accusing party colleague Kalyan Banerjee of repeatedly verbally abusing her inside Parliament and displaying misogynistic behaviour towards women MPs.
In her complaint, the MP from Barasat sought permission to formally lodge a grievance and urged action against Banerjee. She alleged that the abuse was not an isolated incident and said several women parliamentarians had faced similar behaviour.
“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. This misogyny has been against many lady members and needs to be punished,” she wrote in her letter to the Speaker.
The complaint comes amid growing internal tensions within the Trinamool Congress following its recent electoral setback in the West Bengal assembly elections, with public expressions of dissent within the party increasing.
Neither Banerjee nor the Trinamool Congress leadership has responded to the allegations so far.
The development is significant as it follows Dastidar’s recent decision to step down from all organisational posts in the party, where she has been a four-term MP from Barasat on a Trinamool ticket, though she continues to remain a Lok Sabha member.
(With inputs from PTI)