Mahua Moitra moves Calcutta High Court after another egg pelting incident

Trinamool Congress Member of Parliament (MP) Mahua Moitra has filed a fresh petition before the Calcutta High Court seeking relief after another egg pelting attack she faced from rival political workers.

The matter was mentioned this morning before Justice Saugata Bhattacharya.

Notably, on September 1, the Court had ordered that two police personnel be deployed to protect Moitra from egg pelting or other similar attacks while she is in her constituency, Krishnanagar. 

Moitra's counsel, advocate Arka Kumar Nag told the Court today that despite this order, Moitra faced egg pelting attacks on September 16 when she visited her constituency.

"What are you praying for? I have already passed an order," Justice Bhattacharya remarked.

Nag replied that Moitra has now filed a fresh petition after facing the recent egg pelting attack. He added that the matter was also mentioned on September 16 itself before a Bench led by the Chief Justice, seeking an urgent listing of the matter.

Justice Bhattacharya, however, declined to urgently list the case.

"You have filed writ petition, let it come as per presentation form. Sorry, Mr. Nag. Preference cannot be given," he said.

According to case status information available on the High Court's website, the matter is tentatively listed on September 22.

Moitra has repeatedly raised concerns that BJP workers in West Bengal have been pelting eggs, tomatoes, potatoes, stones etc. at rival political leaders, including herself.

The TMC leader flagged facing such attacks after the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) came to power in the State in May. Her counsel argued that this was also disrupting her work as an MP in her constituency.

On September 1, the Court ordered police protection for Moitra whenever she visits her constituency, provided she gives 48 hours notice to the authorities in advance.

The Court, at the time, had also orally warned the State to tackle politically driven egg pelting attacks with an iron hand.

"If tomorrow parliament is subjected to egg pelting and other sources of harassment when she enters her constituency, what will happen to other persons who show allegiance to rival political parties?" Justice Bhattacharya had asked.

At the time, the State's Additional Advocate General (AAG) Rajdeep Mazumdar replied that there is already a standard operating protocol (SOP) put in place by the State to tackle incidents of egg pelting.

He also added that Moitra's complaints against egg pelting incidents have resulted in the registration of a first information report (FIR) on July 3, and that the last egg pelting incident she faced was on July 2.

However, after Moitra faced another round of egg pelting attacks on September 16 while on her way to attend a TMC meeting, she has now moved a fresh plea before the High Court.

Notably, when a plea raising similar concerns of egg pelting was moved before the Supreme Court, the top court had orally observed that Moitra should not be so fearful of such attacks, being a politician.

"You are a member of parliament? Having taken the plunge into politics, you fear eggs? When our freedom fighters have taken bullets on their chest? These are applications that should not come before this court at all," the top court had remarked, while declining Moitra's plea for permission to appear virtually and not physically before the police in a hate speech case.

Shortly after eggs were pelted on her on September 16, Moitra had also referred to this remark in a video posted on social media.

"The Supreme Court of India told me to go and face some eggs. We were holding an internal meeting at our party office in Tahatta. BJP workers and leaders gathered outside with eggs. I had four policemen with me. The High Court has said this cannot be done. The police, instead of moving them (protesters), told me to get into the car. Why should I run away? I am not scared. In full view of the police, they came and threw eggs on me,” she reportedly said.