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The Supreme Court on Friday refused to entertain a petition by Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra, seeking directions to appear virtually before the police in a case about allegedly provocative remarks she had made in July, reported Bar and Bench.
On July 1, vegetables and eggs were hurled at a TMC office in West Bengal’s Krishnanagar while Moitra was inside. She alleged that “goons” from the Bharatiya Janata Party were responsible.
Moitra later said in a social media post that she would file a police complaint against persons responsible for the incident. In a video, she said that those wanting to throw eggs at her “should wear a burqa” if they wish to stay hidden, reported Bar and Bench.
A BJP leader then filed a complaint against the Krishnanagar MP, alleging that her comment had hurt the sentiments of the Hindu community.
On July 21, the Calcutta High Court granted interim protection from arrest to Moitra till October 5. However, the bench had asked her to appear before the investigating officer on August 14.
Her counsel, Gopal Sankarnarayan, told the Supreme Court on Friday that she has no problems in appearing before the police, but sought permission to do so virtually, reported Live Law.
“Just because you are an MP?” Justice Dipankar Datta asked in response.
Referring to the July 1 incident, Sankarnarayan told the court that eggs could be thrown at Moitra again if she went to the police station.
“Having taken the plunge into politics, you fear eggs?” Datta asked the MP. “When our freedom fighters have taken bullets on their chest?”
He added: “These are applications that should not come before this court at all.”
Sankarnarayan then sought to withdraw the petition, which the court allowed.
The incident on July 1 was the latest in a series of attacks on TMC leaders since the BJP came to power in West Bengal on May 4.
TMC National General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee was attacked by a mob with eggs and stones during a visit to Sonarpur on May 30. Party MP Kalyan Banerjee alleged the next day that he was also attacked in the Hooghly district.
Edited by Tanya Shrivastava.
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