Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra moved Calcutta High Court on Friday, alleging police inaction during an alleged attack on her while she was attending a meeting at the residence of Kaliaganj MLA Alifa Ahmed in Nadia’s Palashi on Wednesday.
In her writ petition filed before the bench of Justice Saugata Bhattacharyya, the Krishnanagar MP sought directions for effective police action on her complaint about the attack. Moitra also prayed that any proceedings initiated against her based on what she described as a “false complaint” be quashed.
The matter is likely to come up for hearing on July 7.In the petition, Moitra alleged that while the police were considering registering an FIR against her, they had failed to act on her complaint over the alleged attack. She sought the court’s intervention for protection and a fair investigation.
On Wednesday, Moitra was attending a preparatory meeting at the residence of Ahmed in Palashi for the Trinamool Congress’s July 21 Martyrs’ Day rally.
According to Moitra and Trinamool sources, BJP workers and a section of residents gathered outside Ahmed’s home, raised slogans against Trinamool, waved black flags and hurled eggs and mud at the building. While several eggs struck the walls, some entered the house where the meeting was in progress.
Moitra livestreamed the incident on Facebook and repeatedly accused BJP workers of orchestrating the protest, while blaming the police for showing complacency.
Displaying an egg, she said: “Look at this egg. We have been surrounded and are holding a meeting upstairs in our office. Look at the state of law and order. These are not ordinary people. Every one of them is a BJP worker.”
In another part of the livestream, she said: “You can see them. Look at their faces. Look at every woman. SP Nadia, OC Kaliganj, we are watching everyone.”
The Trinamool MP alleged that the police had failed to disperse the crowd despite the prolonged disturbance. “The police are calling and sending women here. This is a mob, and the police are not dispersing the mob,” she said.
Claiming that the protest continued for nearly three hours, Moitra further alleged: “This violence has been going on for the last two-and-a-half to three hours. They are doing this under the BJP flag. The chief minister has passed the Goonda Suppression Act. What is this if not incitement to violence? I will stand firm.”
The BJP, however, rejected the allegations and maintained that the protest reflected public resentment rather than an organised party action.
State BJP president Samik Bhattacharya said: “The BJP does not believe in this culture. Trinamool is doing what itis doing.”
Local BJP leaders and protesters also denied that party workers had carried out the egg-pelting, claiming that ordinary residents had expressed their anger against the Trinamool MP.
One of the protesters said: “She is not a saint... That is why the public has woken up. The egg-pelting was the spontaneous reaction of ordinary people.”
Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, Priyanka Chaturvedi of Shiv Sena (UBT) and CPM leader Bikash Ranjan Bhattacharya condemned the alleged attack on Mahua Moitra.
