TMC’s Mahua Moitra mocks Mamata Banerjee’s caste, calls Brahmins “Chotiwala Rakshasa”

TMC MP Mahua Moitra launched an attack on BJP’s Giriraj Singh on social media today, writing that he belongs to a “Chotiwala Rakshasa” gotra (clan). This attack comes in response to Giriraj Singh’s tweet addressing Mamata Banerjee’s “Shandilya” gotra comments at a rally in Nandigram yesterday. In her speech, Mamata played the gotra card, claiming that she belongs to the Shandilya Gotra, but says that her gotra is “Maa-Mati-Manush” whenever asked.

https://twitter.com/MahuaMoitra/status/1377146761291071489?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

In his tweet, Giriraj Singh had satirically criticized the incumbent Bengal CM for her gotra comments, writing, ‘Mamata Didi, now we’ll have to figure out whether the gotra of Rohingya and infiltrators is Shandilya as well?” It is of note that Mamata Banerjee belongs to the same Brahmin caste and gotra which Mahua Moitra referred to as “Chotiwala Rakshasa”.

https://twitter.com/girirajsinghbjp/status/1376905291283845122?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

Many Twitter users took issue with Mahua Moitra’s tweet, discerning it as “Hinduphobic” and “Anti-Brahmin”. This perception arises from Moitra’s remark “Chotiwala Rakshasha” which is calling “chotiwalas” i.e. devout Brahmin observers of Hinduism who follow the Shikha tradition of Brahmins, a “Rakshasha” which literally translates to monsters.

A ‘Moitra’ calling Hindus Kafir for Muslim votes is everything that’s wrong with Mamata’s appeasement and discriminatory politics.” says one Twitter user.

https://twitter.com/workingboxwala/status/1377174020722855947?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

“Thanks for making fun of Hindus, Bengal is paying back !!”, another tweet read.

https://twitter.com/BabaSherloc/status/1377158331102466053?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

Giriraj Singh responded to Moitra’s remarks, writing, “Shikha/Chutia is an integral part of Sanatan civilization and India’s culture, therefore it is not wise to abuse that for the sake of votes.”

“Keep washing Rohingya’s feet, soon India will ask for an answer,” he added.

https://twitter.com/girirajsinghbjp/status/1377172422441361412?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

‘Shandilya’ is one of the eight major Brahmin Gotras. According to the Bhagavata Purana, Shandilya was a prominent rishi and the progenitor of the ‘Shandilya’ gotra.

Mamata Banerjee has brought up her Brahmin caste in her campaigning before. On March 9 in a Nandigram rally, Banerjee said, “I would like to tell him that I belong to a Brahmin family and he should not play the religion card with me. Don’t teach Hindu dharma to me.”