What Manolo Blahnik shoes are to Sex and the City’s Carrie Bradshaw, Louis Vuitton is to Indian politician Mahua Moitra—especially in times of crisis. Currently facing the heat over an alleged cash-for-query case, the Trinamool Congress MP appeared before the parliament ethics committee carrying three handbags. It’s her sartorial response to the army of critics which has been baying for her blood while questioning her entire life choices—from the clothes she wears to the parties she attends, and of course, the handbags she carries.
One of the three bags she took to the ethics committee is similar to the now (in)famous Louis Vuitton bag, which first made its appearance on national television during a price-rise debate in the Lok Sabha last year. A clip of Moitra discreetly moving her handbag away from cameras—while her party colleague Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar was holding forth on the rising cost of living—went viral on social media. Amid concerns of unaffordable cooking gas, Moitra’s estimated Rs 2 lakh bag grabbed headlines.
Moitra, however, did not take it lying down. It’s not her style. And why should she? The former vice president of JP Morgan traded the glass towers of New York and London for the grassroots politics in India. And so, she was quick to get the last word in. She posted photographs carrying the bag and quipped about Prime Minister Narendra Modi. ‘Jholewala fakir in Parliament since 2019’, she tweeted.
But let’s get something out of the way: This is not about a branded luxury bag.
In the Indian political landscape where women leaders are framed to fit the narrative of the mother, the widow, the sister or the sanyasi, Moitra defies simplistic definitions. Now, she’s paying the price for it.
Since 17 October, she has been at the centre of a TRP-magnet political firestorm. It involves four men—Gautam Adani, BJP MP Nishikant Dubey, Hiranandani Group’s Darshan Hiranandani, and Supreme Court lawyer Jai Anant Dehadrai. And, of course, there’s Modi. She has been accused of taking bribes and sharing her official login credentials with Hiranandani to pose questions about Adani in Parliament.
The internet, media, and online critics are busy analysing the seriousness of the allegations against Moitra. Meanwhile, the politician has been lining her ducks in a row, controlling the narrative. Her main defence? Everyone wants her to shut up about Modi and Adani until the Lok Sabha election in 2024.
She isn’t standing down. Moitra stormed out of the committee hearing on 2 November, along with Opposition MPs, calling the line of questioning unethical and undignified.
Also read: Hasan Minhaj shifts the balance again—he is the victim, The New Yorker the perpetrator
Unapologetically herself
Moitra’s personal life and fashion choices have come under the knife as pictures of her in Western outfits and smoking at parties were splashed on X. Instead of cowering in the shadows or pretending to be someone she’s not, the MP eventually began pointing out which of the photos were her favourites.
Indians may be more comfortable with women political leaders than Americans—their country is yet to have a female president—but we want our women to behave in a certain way. They have to be ‘pure’ or better still, sexless. This double standard exists even in the entertainment industry. Female actors who are idolised and exalted are harshly judged if they refuse to conform.
The cruel spotlight never leaves women who are public figures. That’s what happened with Rhea Chakraborty, Deepika Padukone, Shraddha Kapoor, and Sara Ali Khan during Narcotics Control Bureau investigations into actor Sushant Singh Rajput’s suicide case. Now, it’s Moitra’s turn to fight it. Her ‘expensive taste’, social and even personal life are being used as a weapon to attack her.
The politician isn’t willing to tone herself down to escape the scrutiny. She is showing up in her glory and shutting down haters with sarcasm and wit. That’s how she responded to TV anchor Rohan Dua’s snarky comment. He tweeted that the politician ‘is changing her fashion sense after the handbag row’ just because the infamous bag wasn’t in her hand.
“My dear—this is also Louis Vuitton—the Pochette. Do look it up, will save you time trying to figure it out,” Moitra wrote back.
My dear- this is also Louis Vuitton – the Pochette. Do look it up- will save you time trying to figure it out. The car’s a G-Wagon with an AP numberplate belonging to Andhra MP who we often car pool with. Saved you some detective work here too! Cheers!
— Mahua Moitra (@MahuaMoitra) August 8, 2022
The world might be frothing and fuming, but Moitra’s accessories remain the talk of the town. And she’s fighting back with not one but three handbags while asking everyone politely to leave her alone.
(Edited by Ratan Priya)