Mahua Moitra writes to LS speaker after being asked to vacate circuit house at night

Trinamool Congress lawmaker Mahua Moitra has appealed to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, alleging a serious violation of her rights and a threat to her safety after being asked to leave a circuit house in her Krishnanagar constituency late Friday night. Moitra described the incident as a grave affront to the dignity and security afforded to women parliamentarians.

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A woman MP, staying alone, being asked to vacate her rightful accommodation at 9.47 pm not only gravely violates her rights, but brings into question the safety and security accorded to women by the ruling dispensation.

In her letter to Birla, Moitra stated, "A woman MP, staying alone, being asked to vacate her rightful accommodation at 9.47 pm not only gravely violates her rights, but brings into question the safety and security accorded to women by the ruling dispensation." She argued that any bill aimed at increasing women's representation in parliament is meaningless if the existing 74 women MPs are not protected. "I kindly request you to urgently look into the matter and take the necessary steps to set an example and ensure the dignity of women parliamentarians across the country," she wrote.

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I kindly request you to urgently look into the matter and take the necessary steps to set an example and ensure the dignity of women parliamentarians across the country.

Moitra recounted that she had checked into the circuit house at 6:15 pm after the Lok Sabha adjourned. She alleged that the Nadia district administration ordered her to vacate the premises late at night, even as a crowd gathered outside chanting slogans. An order received later stated the circuit house would be unavailable for use due to annual upkeep. Moitra questioned the sequence of events, noting she was allowed to check in, served dinner, and then unexpectedly asked to leave, claiming an Additional District Magistrate told her the order came "from the top."

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Any Women’s Reservation Bill seeking to bring in more women is a matter of jest unless your august office can protect the 74 women who have battled great odds to enter this House.

However, Dilip Ghosh, a minister in the West Bengal cabinet, dismissed Moitra's allegations as baseless. He suggested that opposition to Moitra and her party was not new and had existed even when their government was in power. The incident highlights ongoing political tensions and concerns over the safety and treatment of elected officials, particularly women, in the region.

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Their allegations are baseless. Even when their government was in power, the people there used to oppose them, and people from their own party used to oppose them and complain.