Journalism of Courage
‘Why fear eggs? Freedom fighters took bullets’: Supreme Court to Mahua Moitra
Trinamool MP Mahua Moitra raised concerns of ‘egg attacks’ to seek a virtual appearance before the investigating officer in a criminal case.
TMC MP Mahua Moitra had moved the Calcutta High Court seeking the cancellation of a First Information Report against her for allegedly hurting religious sentiments. (File Photo)
The Supreme Court on Friday asked Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra – who raised concerns of ‘egg attacks’ to seek a virtual appearance before the investigating officer in a criminal case – why a politician should fear eggs when freedom fighters braved bullets.
“Having taken the plunge into politics, why do you fear eggs? Our freedom fighters took bullets on their chest,” Justice Dipankar Datta asked Senior Advocate Gopal Sankaranarayanan, who appeared for the Lok Sabha member.
The bench, also comprising Justice Sheel Nagu, said the matter should not have come up before the Supreme Court at all. Following the remarks, Sankaranarayanan chose to withdraw the plea. The court subsequently dismissed it as withdrawn.
Moitra had earlier moved the Calcutta High Court seeking the cancellation of a First Information Report (FIR) against her for allegedly hurting religious sentiments. The High Court took note that she would be occupied with the Monsoon Session of Parliament till August 13 and asked her to appear before the investigating officer on August 14.
The high court also directed that no coercive steps be taken against her when she appears that day till further orders, and to ensure that she was not subjected to any harassment by protestors.
‘Why virtually? Because you are an MP?’
Challenging this before the Supreme Court, Sankaranarayanan said that the case was over a Facebook post and urged the court to let Moitra appear before the investigating officer through video conferencing.
However, Justice Datta asked, “Why virtually? Because you are an MP?”
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Sankaranarayanan contended that the law protects certain categories of individuals, including women, from being compelled to attend an investigation at any venue other than their place of residence.
He referred to earlier instances of public hostility and egg pelting after the TMC went out of power in West Bengal.
“I have a legal right under law. The requirement as per the police notice is to be at the police station in my own constituency. Last time I went there, two things happened. First, there were threats that eggs would be thrown etc…and second time, eggs were actually thrown,” he submitted.
The Supreme Court, however, declined to interfere with the high court order.
© The Indian Express Pvt Ltd
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