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{{short description|Indian politician (born 1974)}}
{{Use Indian English|date=December 2019}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2022}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| image = Mahua_Moitra.jpg
| caption = Moitra in Goa, 2021
| office = [[Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha]]
| term_start = 23 May 2019
| term_end =
| constituency = [[Krishnanagar (Lok Sabha constituency)|Krishnanagar]]
| predecessor = [[Tapas Paul]]
| successor =
| office1 = [[West Bengal Legislative Assembly|Member of the West Bengal Legislative Assembly]]
| primeminister1 =
| term_start1 = 28 May 2016
| term_end1 = 23 May 2019
| predecessor1 = Samaredranath Ghosh
| successor1 = [[Bimalendu Sinha Roy]]
| constituency1 = [[Karimpur (Vidhan Sabha constituency)|Karimpur]]
| majority1 = 15,989
| majority = 63,218
| term_start2 =
| term_end2 =
| predecessor2 =
| successor2 =
| office3 = [[All India Trinamool Congress#Goa|In–charge of the All India Trinamool Congress, Goa]]
| term_start3 = {{Start date|2021|11|13|df=yes}}
| term_end3 = {{End date|2022|5|4|df=yes}}
| predecessor3 = ''Office established''
| successor3 = [[Kirti Azad]]
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1974|10|12|df=y}}<ref name="Profile"/><ref>{{cite news |last1=De |first1=Shobhaa |title=India is 'drunk' on Mahua: A political star is born |url=https://www.asianage.com/opinion/oped/290619/india-is-drunk-on-mahua-a-political-star-is-born.html |accessdate=9 August 2020 |work=The Asian Age |date=29 June 2019}}</ref>
| birth_place = [[Cachar district|Cachar]], [[Barak Valley]], India
| children =
| party = [[File:All India Trinamool Congress flag (2).svg|20px]] [[All India Trinamool Congress]] (Since 2010)
| otherparty = {{ubl||[[File:INC Flag Official.jpg|20px]] [[Indian National Congress]] (2008{{endash}}2010)}}
| alma_mater = [[Mount Holyoke College]]
| profession = {{hlist|[[Investment banker]]|[[Politician]]}}
| sibling =
| website =
}}
'''Mahua Moitra''' (born 12 October 1974) is an Indian politician and a [[Member of parliament]] in the [[17th Lok Sabha]] from [[Krishnanagar (Lok Sabha constituency)|Krishnanagar, Nadia District, West Bengal]].<ref name="auto">{{Cite web |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/who-is/who-is-mahua-moitra-5803133/ |title=Who is Mahua Moitra? |date=27 June 2019 |website=The Indian Express |access-date=28 June 2019}}</ref> She contested and won the seat in the [[2019 Indian general election]] as an [[All India Trinamool Congress]] (AITC) party candidate.<ref>{{Cite news|date=23 May 2019|title=Election Results 2019: Privacy Warrior Mahua Moitra Wins West Bengal's Krishnanagar|url=https://www.huffingtonpost.in/entry/elections-2019-mahua-moitra-bengal_in_5ce5780fe4b0db9c29917531|access-date=9 February 2021|work=HuffPost|language=en}}</ref>

Moitra served as a member of the [[West Bengal Legislative Assembly]] representing [[Karimpur (Vidhan Sabha constituency)|Karimpur]] from 2016 to 2019,<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.myneta.info/westbengal2016/candidate.php?candidate_id=967 | title=West Bengal 2016 Mahua Moitra (Winner) Karimpur | work=MyNeta | accessdate=5 June 2016}}</ref> and has served as the general secretary and national spokesperson of the AITC for the past few years. She was an investment banker before entering politics.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/ex-investment-banker-mahua-moitra-has-assets-of-over-rs-2.5-cr/1/632716.html | title=Ex-investment banker Mahua Moitra has assets of over Rs 2.5 cr | work= India Today| accessdate=5 June 2016}}</ref>

== Early life ==
Moitra was born to Dwipendra Lal Moitra and Manjoo Moitra on 12 October 1974 in Labac in the [[Cachar district]] of [[Barak Valley]]. She hails from a [[Bengali Hindu]] [[Brahmin]] family and has a sister.<ref>https://www.india.gov.in/my-government/indian-parliament/mahua-moitra</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Yadav |first1=Puneet Nicholas |title=BJP Succeeded In Creating Impression Of 'Nameless, Faceless Enemy' Coming For Hindus: Mahua Moitra |url=https://www.outlookindia.com/website/story/india-news-bjp-succeeded-in-creating-impression-of-nameless-faceless-enemy-coming-for-hindus-mahua-moitra/333167 |accessdate=26 September 2020 |work=Outlook |date=28 June 2019|quote=I am a Hindu and neither I nor anyone from my family, ever felt it necessary to assert or to tattoo the fact on our foreheads that we are Hindus or Brahmins.}}</ref>
<ref name="Profile">{{cite web |title=Members : Lok Sabha |url=http://loksabhaph.nic.in/Members/MemberBioprofile.aspx?mpsno=5049 |website=loksabhaph.nic.in |access-date=1 March 2021}}</ref>

Moitra went to school in [[Kolkata]]. She graduated in economics and mathematics in 1998 from [[Mount Holyoke College]] [[South Hadley]] in [[Massachusetts]], United States.<ref name=mhc>{{cite web|url=https://www.mtholyoke.edu/media/mahua-moitra-98-speech-decries-fascism|title=Mahua Moitra '98 speech decries fascism|access-date=9 May 2021|last=Feuerstein|first=Christian|date=9 May 2021|publisher=Mount Holyoke College}}</ref>

Moitra worked as an investment banker for [[JPMorgan Chase]] in New York City and London.<ref name="IEArchive"/>

==Political career==
She quit her position as vice-president at [[JPMorgan Chase]] in London in 2009 to enter Indian politics.<ref name="IEArchive"/> Subsequently, she joined the [[Indian Youth Congress]], the youth wing of the [[Indian National Congress]] party where she was one of the trusted hands of [[Rahul Gandhi]] in the project "Aam Admi Ka Sipahi".<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.asianage.com/opinion/oped/290619/india-is-drunk-on-mahua-a-political-star-is-born.html|title=India is 'drunk' on Mahua: A political star is born|first=Shobhaa|last=De|date=29 June 2019|website=The Asian Age}}</ref> In 2010, she moved to the [[All India Trinamool Congress]] party.<ref name="IEArchive">{{Cite web|url=http://archive.indianexpress.com/news/key-youth-cong-face-in-bengal-flirts-with-trinamool/617255/|title=Key Youth Cong face in Bengal flirts with Trinamool|last=Bhattacharya|first=Ravik|date= 11 May 2010|website=Indian Express Archives|access-date=19 July 2017}}</ref> She was elected from the [[Karimpur (Vidhan Sabha constituency)|Karimpur]] constituency in [[Nadia district]], West Bengal in the Legislative Assembly elections held in 2016.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.elections.in/west-bengal/assembly-constituencies/karimpur.html | title=Winner and Runner up Candidate in Karimpur assembly constituency | work=Elections.in | accessdate=5 June 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.ndtv.com/elections/west-bengal/karimpur-mla-results | title=Mahua Moitra Karimpur | work=NDTV |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170311170130/https://www.ndtv.com/elections/west-bengal/karimpur-mla-results |archive-date=11 March 2017 | accessdate=5 June 2016}}</ref> She has been elected as a member of parliament to the [[17th Lok Sabha]] from [[Krishnanagar (Lok Sabha constituency)|Krishnanagar]], [[West Bengal]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Krishnanagar Election result 2019: Mahua Moitra of the TMC likely wins by 63,218 votes |url=https://www.timesnownews.com/elections/article/krishnanagar-wb-election-2019-krishnanagar-election-results-candidates-voter-population-polling-percentage/405500 |access-date=12 February 2021 |work=Times Now |date=24 May 2019 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Krishnanagar (West Bengal) Lok Sabha Election Results 2019: Winner, Runner-Up, Live Counting on Election Commission of India ECI at eciresults.nic.in |url=https://indianexpress.com/elections/krishnanagar-lok-sabha-election-results/ |access-date=12 February 2021 |work=The Indian Express |language=en}}</ref>

On 13 November 2021, she was appointed TMC party's Goa in-charge to prepare the party for contesting the [[2022 Goa Legislative Assembly election]].<ref>{{cite news |title=TMC appoints Mahua Moitra as party's Goa in-charge ahead of Assembly polls |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/goa/trinamool-congress-mahua-moitra-goa-in-charge-assembly-polls-7621320/ |access-date=13 November 2021 |work=The Indian Express |date=13 November 2021 |language=en}}</ref>

===Lawsuits===
On 10 January 2017, Moitra filed a police complaint against [[Bharatiya Janata Party]] MP and [[Ministry of Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises|Union Minister]] [[Babul Supriyo]] for allegedly "insulting her modesty" during a national television debate.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.dnaindia.com/india/report-tmc-mla-mahua-moitra-accuses-babul-supriyo-of-insulting-her-modesty-union-minister-laughs-it-off-2291179|title=TMC MLA Mahua Moitra accuses Babul Supriyo of insulting her modesty, Union Minister laughs it off|date=10 January 2017|website=DNA India}}</ref> The complaint was later dismissed by the [[Calcutta High Court]].<ref>{{Cite web|date=14 October 2020|title=Calcutta HC Dismisses Chargesheet against Babul Supriyo for 'Objectionable' Remarks at Mahua Moitra|url=https://www.news18.com/news/politics/calcutta-hc-dismisses-chargesheet-against-babul-supriyo-for-objectionable-remarks-at-mahua-moitra-2964041.html|access-date=14 December 2020|website=News18|language=en}}</ref> A few days later, Babul Supriyo sent legal notices to Moitra and TMC MPs [[Saugata Roy]] and [[Tapas Paul]] for allegedly defaming him by accusing him of being involved in the [[Rose Valley financial scandal|Rose Valley ponzi firm scam]].<ref name=":0">{{cite news|url=https://indianexpress.com/article/india/rose-valley-chit-fund-case-babul-supriyo-sends-defamation-notices-to-tmc-leaders-for-linking-him-to-scam-4468606/|title=Rose valley chit fund case: Babul Supriyo sends defamation notices to TMC leaders for linking him to scam|date=11 January 2017|work=Indian Express|accessdate=8 February 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=West Bengal MLA Mahua Moitra returns after assaulting Assam Police constable |url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/nation/2018/aug/03/west-bengal-mla-mahua-moitra-returns-after-assaulting-assam-police-constable-1852679.html |access-date=31 January 2021 |work=The New Indian Express |date=3 August 2018}}</ref>

In January 2020, [[Zee Media|Zee media]] filed a [[Defamation|defamatory]] lawsuit against Moitra for apparently making derogatory statements against the channel while addressing reporters. She was granted bail and put on trial by a Delhi Court.<ref>{{Cite news|others=PTI|date=10 January 2020|title=Delhi court puts TMC MP Mahua Moitra on trial in defamation case filed by Zee Media|work=The Hindu|url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Delhi/delhi-court-puts-tmc-mp-mahua-moitra-on-trial-in-defamation-case-filed-by-zee-media/article30534258.ece|access-date=2 August 2020|issn=0971-751X}}</ref> She later won the case and the charges against her were dismissed.<ref>[https://lawstreet.co/judiciary/zee-media-mahua-moitra-criminal-defamation?refuid=MTMzMDd8NTAuNjMuMTYwLjIxN3xzb29sZWdhbC5jb20%3D Zee Media - Mahua Moitra criminal defamation], lawstreet.co. Accessed 8 February 2023.</ref>

== Opinions ==

=== Political Issues ===
On 26 June 2019, Moitra pointed out seven early signs of [[fascism]],<ref>{{cite news |last1=Pandey |first1=Geeta |title=Indian MP Mahua Moitra's 'rising fascism' speech wins plaudits |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-48755554 |access-date=27 August 2022|work=[[BBC News]] |date=26 June 2019}}</ref> which she claims are present in India under [[Narendra Modi]]'s government.<ref>{{cite news |title=TMC's Mahua Moitra points out 7 early signs of fascism seen in India in maiden Lok Sabha speech |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/tmc-mahua-moitra-fascism-india-lok-sabha-speech-1556197-2019-06-26 |access-date=27 August 2022 |work=[[India Today]] |date=26 June 2019}}</ref> She said that constitution on which every [[Member of parliament|MP]] has sworn to protect is now under threat. In December 2020, she called the [[News media|press]] as "2 [[paisa]]" after which the [[List of Bengali-language television channels in India#News|local news media]] criticised her heavily and decided to [[boycott]] her.<ref>{{Cite news|title=TMC MP Mahua Moitra draws flak, media boycott for '2 paisa'|url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/cities/tmc-mp-mahua-moita-draws-flak-media-boycott-for-2-paisa/story-6o964yu5wy3gGFX7fu9QkI.html|access-date=9 December 2020|work=Hindustan Times}}</ref> Her party distanced themselves from her comments.<ref>{{Cite news|title=बुरी फंसीं सांसद महुआ मोइत्रा, मीडिया को 'दो कौड़ी' का बताने पर हो रही चौतरफा आलोचना|url=https://www.amarujala.com/india-news/tmc-mp-mahua-moitra-says-media-as-a-2-paisa-strongly-criticized-by-kolkata-press-club|access-date=9 December 2020|work=Amar Ujala|language=hi}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|title=Trinamool's Mahua Moitra Calls Media "Two Paisa Worth", Slammed|url=https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/journalists-political-leaders-criticise-trinamool-congress-mp-mahua-moitra-for-comment-on-media-2336021|access-date=9 December 2020|work=NDTV.com}}</ref>

Criticising the judiciary and the current government in the parliament on 8 February 2021, Moitra stated "The sacred cow that was the judiciary is no longer sacred, It stopped being sacred the day a sitting chief justice of this country was accused of sexual harassment, presided over his own trial, cleared himself and then proceeded to accept the nomination to the upper house within three months of retirement, replete with Z+ security cover". The speech caused an uproar in the house with member of the ruling party calling it 'objectionable' and violating parliamentary rules because it mentioned a person in "high authority". Opposition members supported the speech as it was based on facts which are matters of [[Ranjan Gogoi#2019 Sexual Harassment Allegations|public record]].<ref>{{cite news |last1=Gunasekar |first1=Arvind |last2=Ghosh |first2=Deepshikha |title=No Action Against Trinamool's Mahua Moitra For Parliament Speech After All |url=https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/no-action-against-trinamools-mahua-moitra-for-parliament-speech-after-all-2366652 |access-date=16 February 2021 |work=NDTV |date=9 February 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Ramesh |first1=Mythreyee |title=No Action Against Mahua Moitra For CJI Remark, But What Was Said? |url=https://www.thequint.com/neon/gender/mahua-moitra-speech-in-parliament-cji-ranjan-gogoi-sexual-harassment#read-more |access-date=16 February 2021 |work=TheQuint |date=10 February 2021 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Parliament: Uproar in Lok Sabha after TMC MP Mahua Moitra's remarks on former CJI |url=https://scroll.in/latest/986345/parliament-uproar-in-lok-sabha-after-tmc-mp-mahua-moitras-remarks-on-former-cji |access-date=16 February 2021 |work=Scroll.in |date=9 February 2021}}</ref>

The remarks were finally expunged from the records. On 11 February 2021, BJP leaders Nishikant Dubey and PP Chowdhary moved a privilege notice against Moitra.<ref>{{cite news |title=One more BJP MP moves privilege motion against Mahua Moitra |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/one-more-bjp-mp-moves-privilege-motion-against-mahua-moitra/article33812830.ece |access-date=16 February 2021 |work=The Hindu |date=11 February 2021 |language=en-IN}}</ref>

On 7 April 2022, Mahua Moitra argued in the parliament that the Criminal Procedure (Identification) Bill, 2022 is even more intrusive than colonial surveillance laws in India.<ref>{{cite news |title=New Criminal Identification Bill Is More Intrusive Than Colonial Law: Mahua Moitra |url=https://thewire.in/rights/criminal-identification-bill-mahua-moitra-lok-sabha-speech |access-date=2022-08-27 |work=The Wire |date=2022-04-07}}</ref>

=== Social Issues ===
She condemned the acquittal and thereafter, garlanding of rapists of [[Bilkis Bano]] by local [[Bharatiya Janata Party|BJP]] politicians and [[Vishva Hindu Parishad|VHP]] workers<ref>{{Cite web |title=Bilkis Bano rape case: VHP greets released convicts with garlands in Gujarat |url=https://www.timesnownews.com/india/bilkis-bano-rape-case-vhp-greets-released-convicts-with-garlands-in-gujarat-article-93620902 |access-date=2022-10-26 |website=TimesNow |language=en}}</ref> by calling out their [[Islamophobia]] and hate for women and said that for every BJP Politician who lauds this as sanskari, there exists a [[Kali]] (Hindu Goddess) who will fight back.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-08-22 |title=Mahua Moitra writes: Our Bilkis moment |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/bilkis-bano-mahua-moitra-opinion-8105080/ |access-date=2022-10-26 |website=The Indian Express |language=en}}</ref>

=== 'Kaali' controversy ===
On 5 July 2022 at the India Today Conclave East, while reacting to a film poster showing goddess [[Kali]] smoking a cigarette, Moitra said, “Kaali to me is a meat-eating, alcohol-accepting goddess. You have the freedom to imagine your goddess. There are some places where whiskey is offered to gods and in some other places it would be blasphemy.”<ref>{{Cite magazine |date=5 July 2022 |title=Trinamool Congress condemns party MP Mahua Moitra's 'Kaali' remarks |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/trinamool-congress-condemns-party-mp-mahua-moitra-kaali-remarks-1970606-2022-07-05 |magazine=India Today |access-date=6 July 2022}}</ref> Distancing itself from the controversy, her party [[All India Trinamool Congress]] issued a statement — “Her views expressed on Goddess Kali have been made in her personal capacity and are not endorsed by the party in any manner or form”, condemning Moitra's remarks.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Sahai Bhatnagar |first1=Isha |title=TMC MP Mahua Moitra unfollows party on Twitter amid 'Kaali' controversy |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/tmc-mp-mahua-moitra-unfollows-party-on-twitter-amid-kaali-controversy-101657094527448.html |access-date=7 July 2022 |work=Hindustan Times |date=6 July 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title='Mistakes can be rectified': Mamata as Mahua Moitra faces FIR over 'Kali' remark |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/mistakes-can-be-rectified-mamata-as-mahua-moitra-faces-fir-over-kali-remark-101657192937586.html |access-date=7 July 2022 |work=Hindustan Times |date=7 July 2022}}</ref> Subsequently, police complaints were filed against Moitra by the [[Bharatiya Janata Party, West Bengal|Bengal BJP]] in [[Kolkata]] and five districts of [[West Bengal]], as well as in [[Bhopal]], [[Madhya Pradesh]].<ref>{{cite news |last1=Singh |first1=Shiv Sahay |title=controversy over Trinamool mp mahua moitras remarks on goddess kaali rages on |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/controversy-over-tmc-mp-mahua-moitras-remarks-on-goddess-kaali-rages-on/article65606677.ece |access-date=7 July 2022 |work=The Hindu |date=6 July 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=FIR against TMC MP Mahua Moitra as row over Kali remark intensifies |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/fir-against-tmc-mp-mahua-moitra-as-row-over-kali-remark-intensifies-101657133769400.html |access-date=7 July 2022 |work=Hindustan Times |date=7 July 2022}}</ref>

==Personal life==
Moitra was married to Danish financier Lars Brorson, with whom she later divorced.<ref>{{Cite web|date=4 July 2019|title=Interview of Mahua Moitra by Sheela Bhatt, NewsX, 4 July 2019|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DCyGHPgNlJQ&t=17m33s|url-status=live|access-date=19 September 2020|via=YouTube|publisher=NewsX}}</ref>

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
* [http://loksabhaph.nic.in/Members/MemberBioprofile.aspx?mpsno=5049 Lok Sabha Member Profile]
* [http://www.wbassembly.gov.in/ West Bengal Legislative Assembly]

{{s-start}}
{{s-par|in-lwr}}
{{s-bef|before=[[Tapas Paul]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=Member of Parliament for [[Krishnanagar (Lok Sabha constituency)|Krishnanagar]] |years=2019}}
{{s-inc}}
{{s-break}}
{{s-par|in-la}}
{{IN Assembly succession box
| state= WB
| constituency= Karimpur
| before= [[Karimpur (Vidhan Sabha constituency)#Members of Legislative Assembly|Samaredranath Ghosh]]
| after= [[Bimalendu Sinha Roy]]
| years= [[2016 West Bengal Legislative Assembly election|2016]] – 2019 }}
{{s-break}}
{{s-ppo}}
{{s-bef|before=''Office established''}}
{{s-ttl|title=In charge [[All India Trinamool Congress#Goa|All India Trinamool Congress, Goa]] |years=13 November 2021 – 4 May 2022}}
{{s-aft|after=[[Kirti Azad]]}}
{{s-end}}

{{17th LS members from West Bengal}}
{{17th Lok Sabha members from all states}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Moitra, Mahua}}
[[Category:1974 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:People from Cachar district]]
[[Category:Politicians from Kolkata]]
[[Category:West Bengal politicians]]
[[Category:Trinamool Congress politicians from West Bengal]]
[[Category:Mount Holyoke College alumni]]
[[Category:JPMorgan Chase employees]]
[[Category:Indian expatriates in the United States]]
[[Category:Indian investment bankers]]
[[Category:West Bengal MLAs 2016–2021]]
[[Category:Women in West Bengal politics]]
[[Category:Women members of the West Bengal Legislative Assembly]]
[[Category:India MPs 2019–present]]
[[Category:Lok Sabha members from West Bengal]]
[[Category:Women members of the Lok Sabha]]
[[Category:Women in Goa politics]]
[[Category:21st-century Indian politicians]]
[[Category:21st-century Indian women politicians]]

Mahua Moitra - Revision history

Bot at 16:12, 8 March 2023