Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Mahua Moitra has approached the Calcutta High Court again seeking protection after allegedly facing another egg-pelting attack by rival political workers in her constituency, Krishnanagar.
The matter was mentioned before Justice Saugata Bhattacharya on Monday morning. Moitra’s counsel, Advocate Arka Kumar Nag, told the Court that despite an earlier order directing police protection, she was allegedly subjected to an egg-pelting attack on September 16 while visiting her constituency.
On September 1, Justice Bhattacharya had directed the deployment of two police personnel to protect Moitra from egg pelting and similar attacks whenever she visited Krishnanagar. The protection was made subject to her giving 48 hours’ advance notice to the authorities.
Mentioning the case, the counsel was met with Justice Bhattacharya’s remark questioning what further relief was being sought given that an order had already been passed.
Nag responded that Moitra had filed a fresh petition following the latest incident. He also submitted that the matter had been mentioned before a Bench led by the Chief Justice on September 16 itself, seeking urgent listing.
Justice Bhattacharya, however, declined to grant an urgent hearing. Declining the request for an urgent hearing, the judge informed advocate Mr. Nag that the newly filed writ petition must follow standard listing procedures without any special preference.
According to the case status available on the High Court’s website, the fresh petition is tentatively listed for September 22.
Moitra has previously alleged that BJP workers in West Bengal have targeted rival political leaders with eggs, tomatoes, potatoes and stones, among other objects. She had told the High Court that such incidents were also interfering with her functioning as an MP in her constituency.
During the earlier proceedings, the State’s Additional Advocate General Rajdeep Mazumdar submitted that the State had already put in place a standard operating procedure (SOP) to deal with incidents of egg pelting. He also informed the Court that Moitra’s complaints had led to registration of an FIR on July 3 and that the last such incident at that time had occurred on July 2.
The High Court had also orally warned the State to deal firmly with politically motivated incidents of egg pelting.
Justice Bhattacharya highlighted the broader threat to political freedom, questioning how ordinary supporters of rival parties could feel safe if even an elected Member of Parliament is subjected to egg-pelting and harassment in her own constituency.
However, after the fresh incident on September 16, when eggs were allegedly thrown at Moitra while she was on her way to attend a TMC meeting, she moved the present petition.
Moitra has also referred to earlier remarks made by the Supreme Court while declining her plea seeking permission to appear virtually, instead of physically, before the police in connection with a hate-speech case.
At the time, the Supreme Court had orally remarked that as a politician, Moitra should not be fearful of eggs. Dismissing the plea, the Supreme Court questioned how a sitting Member of Parliament could fear egg-pelting, contrasting it with freedom fighters who faced bullets, and remarked that such trivial matters should not be brought before the apex court.
Following the September 16 incident, Moitra referred to those remarks in a video posted on social media.
She alleged that BJP workers and leaders had gathered outside a TMC party meeting in Tahatta and thrown eggs at her despite the presence of police personnel.
She stated that police personnel instructed her to step inside her car rather than removing the surrounding protesters, resulting in eggs being thrown at her in the direct presence of law enforcement.
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