The political atmosphere in West Bengal is currently charged, with a series of events sparking controversy and internal strife within the Trinamool Congress (TMC). Recent headlines focus on a gang-rape case in Kolkata and subsequent remarks by TMC leaders, alongside a public disagreement between TMC MPs Kalyan Banerjee and Mahua Moitra.

A 24-year-old law student was allegedly gang-raped on June 25 at South Calcutta Law College, triggering widespread outrage. The survivor's medical report confirmed allegations of sexual assault, revealing evidence of forceful penetration, bite marks, and nail scratches. Police have arrested four individuals in connection with the crime, including Monojit Mishra, the prime accused and an alumnus of the college, who also served as an ad-hoc professor. Mishra, who was expelled from the college's Trinamool unit in 2021, was known for repeatedly approaching and harassing female students. Two other students, Promit Mukherjee and Zaid Ahmed, have also been arrested, along with a college security guard, Pinaki Banerjee, who allegedly turned a blind eye to the assault. Kolkata Police have formed a five-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the incident. The police suspect that the student rejecting a marriage proposal by the prime accused could be the motive behind the crime. The woman reportedly told the three accused she was "happy" with her boyfriend and wouldn't "cheat" him.

Adding to the turmoil, TMC leaders Kalyan Banerjee and Madan Mitra made controversial and regressive remarks regarding the gang-rape case. Their statements drew heavy criticism, leading the AITC to publicly disassociate itself from the comments. TMC MP Mahua Moitra openly condemned the remarks as misogynistic. In response, Kalyan Banerjee launched a personal attack against Moitra, bringing up her recent marriage to former BJD MP Pinaki Misra and saying, "Mahua has come back to India after her honeymoon and started fighting with me!". He further accused her of breaking up a 40-year marriage and marrying a 65-year-old man. Banerjee also stated that Moitra was "anti-woman" and knew how to secure her future and make money.

The TMC has officially distanced itself from the remarks made by Kalyan Banerjee and Madan Mitra, labeling them as "personal views" and reaffirming the party's "zero tolerance for crimes against women". The growing rift between Banerjee and Moitra highlights the internal tensions within the TMC, particularly concerning the handling of sensitive issues like crimes against women.