Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Mahua Moitra has drawn criticism for using the word ‘Sambhar’ in a mocking post targeting Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, after the latter responded to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s criticism of the Modi government over the Tata Group.
The exchange began on 28 October 2026, when Rahul Gandhi accused the government of allowing the Tata Group to be “criminally destroyed” and challenged Indian business leaders to speak out against what he described as the government’s actions.
Tata is being criminally destroyed, and no business leader dares say a word.
How long will you stay silent? Until they own you?
Indian business is not Modi and Shah’s plaything. You lack courage. We don’t. We will ensure justice for these crimes.
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) October 28, 2026
Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman responded sharply, accusing Gandhi of politicising commercial and legal matters, spreading distrust among business leaders and overlooking the Congress’s own record under the Licence-Quota Raj. She also defended the Modi government’s policies towards Indian industry and urged Gandhi to “refrain from seeing ghosts everywhere”.
Being the LoP @RahulGandhi, I suggest you refrain from politicising every issue. Also, casually labelling commercial and legal matters as criminal is unacceptable.
You have repeatedly decried the successes of Indian industry & our entrepreneurs. Now, are you trying to incite our business leaders to join you in spreading distrust & toxicity?
For decades, your party had smothered the spirit of the Indian entrepreneurs under the stifling ‘Licence-Quota Raj’ & inflicted poverty on crores of Indians.
On the other hand, our government led by PM @narendramodi values the Indian industry as job creators & drivers of economic growth. Our policies have been tailored to enable enterprise, support industry and encourage investment.
Political parties, leaders, governments and institutions share an equal responsibility to support our industry, strengthen our farmers and secure the future of our youth.
Therefore, it is essential to engage constructively rather than casting baseless aspersions to suit your narrow political motives.
The Constitution of India ensures justice to all its citizens & our Honourable Courts are entrusted with upholding it. History is witness to the shoddy manner in which you, your party and the PMs belonging to your party have demeaned the judiciary.
So Rahul ji, refrain from seeing ghosts everywhere.— Nirmala Sitharaman (@nsitharaman) October 28, 2026
On the same day, TMC MP Mahua Moitra joined the exchange by quoting Sitharaman’s post and making a sarcastic remark about her.
Moitra wrote, “So @nsitharaman trying to put onions & make a Tata sambhar with the help of a few friends. Aunty – please leave dhansak alone – it is awesome the way it has been.”
So @nsitharaman trying to put onions & make a Tata sambhar with the help of a few friends. Aunty – please leave dhansak alone – it is awesome the way it has been.
— Mahua Moitra (@MahuaMoitra) October 28, 2026
Her remark has attracted criticism over its use of the word ‘Sambhar’, a dish strongly associated with Tamil and South Indian cuisine, and the dismissive reference to Sitharaman as ‘Aunty’.
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