Mahua Moitra is not an intellectual; she is an illogical and abusive loudmouth

The mainstream media has created an image surrounding TMC MP Mahua Moitra. She is projected as a suave, scholarly politician. She is cast as someone who stands for democracy and takes on fascism. 

But is all this hero-worship around Moitra worth it? Her track record involves showing the middle finger to a journalist and allegations of assaulting a woman constable of the Assam Police Force. And now, she is also in the spotlight for insensitive remarks about the Jain community. 

Moitra’s remark that has made members of the Jain community angry

In her latest speech in the Parliament, Moitra said, “You (the government) fear a India which is comfortable in its own skin. Which is comfortable with conflicting realities. So, you fear an India where a Jain boy can hide from home and enjoy a kathi kebab on a street cart in Ahmedabad… So what do you do? You forbid non-vegetarian street food in Gujarat’s municipalities.” 

This has unsurprisingly agitated members of the Jain community, which is known for its vegetarianism. In Jainism, vegetarianism forms the core of religious practice. Jains are strict vegetarians. They don’t even eat root vegetables and certain fruits. 

Read more: Shikharji: The holiest shrine in Jainism, turned into a picnic spot

Moitra’s speech was not well received by the netizens. One Ankit Jain tweeted, “This is insult of the ethos of Jains. I demand apology from Mahua Moitra on behalf of every Jain of India.” 

https://twitter.com/indiantweeter/status/1489604140003397634?t=VHZAb2wt8EQ0uEPayRB0AQ&s=19

 One Twitter user pointed out, “Jain: Bring up a minority who is yet to be converted to the great minority 

Kathi Kebab: Remind people of the greatest invention of the great minority

Ahmedabad: Add a reference to Gujarat for some reasons unknown

Forced perm-com nightmare!” 

Mahua Moitra doesn’t have a fine track record

Mahua Moitra has been in politics for over 13 years now. 

Read more: Mahua Moitra: slayer of fascists, darling of the left and alleged plagiarist.

She had left for the US along with her family at the early age of 15. She studied economics and mathematics at Mount Holyoke College in Massachusetts and went on to work as an investment banker at JP Morgan, eventually rising to the post of company vice-president.

She came back to India only in 2008 to look for a career in politics and joined the Congress. However, she later switched sides and joined the Mamata Banerjee led Trinamool Congress.

For the left-liberal ecosystem, Moitra shot to the limelight in 2015, when she showed the middle finger to Arnab Goswami on air. Now, showing the middle finger to any journalist shouldn’t qualify as a shortcut to political popularity in any democracy.

But you do know how desperately the left-liberal ecosystem hates Goswami and this is why the left-liberal ecosystem perceived the action as praiseworthy instead of condemning it. 

Mahua Moitra’s Silchar incident

In 2018, Moitra made it to the news once again. This time over allegations by Assam Police that a woman Police constable was injured after being assaulted by the lawmaker at the Silchar airport in the state of Assam.  

However, the TMC had then made counter-allegations of being manhandled by the Assam Police at the Silchar airport and of being wrongfully detained there. 

The fact remains that the left-liberal media and ecosystem has cultivated an image for Mahua Moitra. She is described as the one who gives fiery speeches displaying a lot of intellect. 

The mainstream media would however not focus on comments about the Jain community or the incident at Silchar airport. She is the new Shashi Tharoor for left-liberal media and it would go to any extent to keep her erudite image intact.