Who is Mahua Moitra, the Firebrand MP Caught in the Line of Fire

By: WE Staff

The power of voice is a potent tool for communication, expression, and influence. A voice can inspire, persuade, and evoke emotions. It has the capacity to ignite change, challenge injustices, and bring people together. One such woman in the Indian political arena is Mahua Moitra, renowned for her good oratory and fearless remarks. She is an Indian politician and investment banker. Mahua is a member of Parliament from the Krishnanagar constituency in West Bengal, India. She was elected as an All India Trinamool Congress (AITC) candidate in the 2019 Indian general election. Prior to entering politics, she worked as an investment banker for JPMorgan Chase in New York and London.

Mahua Moitra has recently made headlines for allegedly accepting bribes in exchange for asking questions in the Indian Parliament. She has also made headlines for leaving a committee hearing after being asked "filthy questions." Ms. Mahua has written to the Speaker of the Lok Sabha, claiming that the Ethics Committee has violated her dignity.

Early Life of Mahua Moitra

Mahua Moitra was born on October 12, 1974, in the Assam district of Cachar. She hails from a Bengali Hindu Brahmin family. Ms. Mahua finished her primary and secondary schooling in Kolkata, India. In 1998, she earned a bachelor's degree in economics and mathematics from Mount Holyoke College in Massachusetts, USA. She has also worked as an investment banker for JPMorgan Chase in New York City and London before entering politics.

Ms. Mahua left her job as a vice president at JPMorgan Chase in London in 2009 to pursue a career in Indian politics. She joined the Indian Youth Congress, the youth wing of the Indian National Congress party, where she was one of Rahul Gandhi's trusted hands in the "Aam Admi Ka Sipahi" project. She joined the All India Trinamool Congress party in 2010. In the 2016 Legislative Assembly elections, she was elected from the Karimpur constituency in the Nadia district of West Bengal. She has also been the AITC's general secretary and national spokesperson for several years.

The ‘cash for query’ Allegations

According to a news report, Moitra has been accused of accepting money and gifts from businessman Darshan Hiranandani in exchange for asking questions about the Adani Group and Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Parliament. She gave evidence before the Lok Sabha Ethics Committee, which is investigating allegations of 'cash for query' leveled against her by Bharatiya Janata Party MP Nishikant Dubey.

A Fearless Orator

Mahua Moitra is known for her fiery speeches and has been praised for her oratory skills in the Indian Parliament.

Maiden speech in the Parliament: Mahua Moitra delivered her first speech in Parliament on June 25, 2019, during the Motion of Thanks on the President's address. The speech went viral on social media and received widespread acclaim for its content and delivery. She argued in her speech that India had seen "signs of fascism" under the BJP government. She also drew attention to issues such as superficial nationalism, contempt for human rights, media control, obsession with national security, the involvement of religion and government, contempt for intellectuals and the arts, and the erosion of electoral independence.

Speech on the Citizenship Amendment Bill: She delivered a speech on December 9, 2019, opposing the Citizenship Amendment Bill, which was later passed by the Indian Parliament. In her speech, she claimed that the bill was "a targeted legislation against people of one religion" that violated the Indian Constitution.

Speech on the JNU violence: Ms. Moitra spoke about the violence that occurred at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) in New Delhi, India, on January 7, 2020. In her speech, she criticized the government for failing to prosecute the perpetrators of the violence and for allowing the situation to deteriorate.

Speech on the farm laws: She spoke out against the three farm laws passed by the Indian Parliament on February 10, 2021. She argued in her speech that the laws were "anti-farmer" and would lead to the corporatization of agriculture in India.