After photos of her dinner with Congress leader Shashi Tharoor went viral, Trinamool Congress (TMC) politician and Member of Parliament Mahua Moitra found herself in the focus of a social media maelstrom. Reports suggest that there is a relation between the two. Still, Moitra has fired back, accusing the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of spreading doctored photos and defending the authenticity of women in Bengal.

Photos and confidentiality issues

The photos of Mahua Moitra and Shashi Tharoor out to dinner with some mystery guests surfaced without any explanation. The images sparked much curiosity and conjecture on the web. Users have speculated that Moitra and Tharoor have something romantic “cooking” between them. The dinner’s location is a secret.

Moitra’s quick response was aimed at the BJP’s “troll sena.” She said that the BJP’s IT cell was behind the viral sharing of these images online, and she requested that the saffron party make the original photos public and name all of the guests at the meal. One photograph, in particular, has stirred some concern since it depicts Moitra smoking a cigar and drinking champagne.

Moitra’s confession and confidence

Moitra said she wasn’t puffing on a cigar because of her cigarette allergy. She insisted that the photo shoot was all in good fun. To address the picture scandal, Moitra said on her verified Twitter account, “Most amused to see some personal photos of me being circulated on social media by @BJP4India’s troll sena.” I feel more confident in a green dress than in a white blouse. And why waste time cropping when you can show the rest of the dinner guests? She added that women in Bengal have active lives. It is the truth.

The debate centers on whether or not the photos are real, as well as rumors about her connection with Shashi Tharoor. The political nature of the dispute has been heightened by Moitra’s claim that the BJP was manipulating these photos. The buzz on social media over these pictures suggests that there may be more information and responses from all sides in the coming days.